The Legend of Zelda: Demon's Designs
by Amilyi
Summary: In an attempt to find Navi, Link travels to the land of Morëkotu, where he discovers that the land is not as peaceful as it once was... Chapter 26 now up!
1. Morëkotu

A/N:  Doing a Link story is going to be hard, because all of the journeys are based more on action than words, and I don't really want to put: 'Link did this' and 'then he did that' before he 'slew such and such an enemy of five' etc, etc.  This is just not my usual style.

Remember, opinions (good and bad) are _always valued, and I need them to know if the fic isn't interesting enough, if characters are out of character, and so on._

Disclaimer:  The Legend of Zelda, Link, Zelda and Epona (the horse) are all characters belonging to Nintendo.  The Zorans, Gorons, Kokiri and Skull Kids are all species belonging to the game, and therefore are also the property of Nintendo.

The land, unique characters and evil enemies are all products of my imagination.  Which Nintendo has no claim on.

~Chapter 1~

Link had traveled many days south, through fields, deserts and swamps, with the weather both beautiful and terrible, until he had finally come to the kingdom of Morëkotu, a land that had once been prosperous, yet over the last decade it had fallen into dark times.  Perhaps here he would find his fairy friend, Navi.

Ahead of him, the land jutted into sharp, leering black mountains and on the highest one, covered in snow at its peaks, sprawled a city as glorious and awe striking as it was terrifying and threatening.  In the fading light, the setting sun seemed to make it even more mysterious.

Abruptly, Epona bucked him off and Link fell to the ground, rubbing the back of his head with one hand.  Epona wouldn't have bucked him off for no reason, and he quickly stood on his feet, grabbing his small sword from its sheath and looking around for what had startled her.  He found it quickly enough.  Something large, black and scaly was slithering between Epona's legs, scaring the horse, but not allowing her enough room to move to get away from it.  Link stabbed at the slinking thing in the tall grass, and in return the thing hissed at him, but it wasn't a verbal hiss – but a telepathic one.  He turned around, and was greeted by a huge black demon.  It had a human body above the torso, but a snake's form below it.  On the left side of the chest on the ribcage there was a small devilish wolf tattoo made of scars.  Where the hair should have been, there was nothing but a heavy crest that reminded Link of the mountains in front of him – and the creature had no mouth.  The eyes were full of a cold, calculating hatred that seemed to be weighing Link up, judging him as an enemy.

The creature struck out, and with only one massive blow from its right arm, Link fell to the ground, the creature looming over him.  Link went for his small wooden shield, but the demon knocked it out of his grasp and somewhere into the grasses.  It held its claws ready to strike, but something else caught its attention and the creature's head swiveled around.  The demon looked upon Link one last time, his eyes narrowing in hatred for the boy.  _My master, the great knight Sir Jerusinus will deal with you boy – Link, hero of Hyrule._  The thoughts of the creature penetrated his brain as plainly as speech, the 'voice' full of disdain.  The demon stealthily vanished into the meadow, and Link saw no more of it.  Swiftly, he became aware of hoof falls and he got back up onto his feet.

            "Ho!  A newcomer!"  A jolly man on one of the approaching horses smiled.  It was a party of five horsemen, all with bows, arrows and swords with them.  Their clothes were cut far more loosely than Link's, and they were mottled colours meant to blend with their surroundings and it was obvious to them that he was a stranger.  "And what brings you to this land, son?"  He asked Link.

"To find my fairy, Navi.  I have not seen her in quite some time, and I have been searching the lands for her," Link replied.  A lank man on another horse laughed at him.

"Fairies!  There are none in this land – they left long ago.  And right they were too," the other man said.  "Where are you from, boy?  And what is your name?"

"I am Link, of Hyrule!"  Link proclaimed proudly.  One of the men at the back of the line gasped audibly.

"Hyrule!"  He muttered, "That is quite far away – and it appears that he has traveled here all on his own.  With such resolve and resilience, he would make a very good novice wild-man."  Link didn't understand what they meant by wild-man, but decided to change the subject to something more imperative for the moment.

"What was that demon – that snake-man?  He fled when you came along."  The men on the horses looked at him, and began to survey their surroundings with great alarm.

"Fuorresh!"  The jolly man hissed, his expression changing from happiness to anger in a minute.  "It is not safe out here anymore, Link.  Please, follow us and we will take you to our stronghold, where we will explain the situation."

~End of Chapter 1~


	2. History & Destiny

Chapter 1 Reviews:

Sensei – Thanks for the review!  I was wondering if the lengths of my chapters were too short, and now you've confirmed it for me.  The next chapter is quite short too, but I'll try to improve the lengths of all of the chapters after chapter 3.

A/N:  Time for a history lesson.

~Chapter 2~

Dusk had long since ended by the time they came to an encampment in the nearby cliffs.  They had taken a very guarded route to get here - both naturally guarded and humanly guarded.  They were led through a tunnel that went under a river and along a very thin ledge over a long drop that was barely wide enough for Epona his pony, let alone the large horses of the men.

In one of the man-constructed caves, they settled on piled blankets and ate roasted meat beside a fire.  Link tore into the meat eagerly; he had not had a real meal in quite some time, and for once, someone else was doing the cooking.  The jolly man had introduced himself as Packard, the lank man was Jorose, and the three other men were Olowren, Trent and Diolass.  There were many other men with him, and many more names to learn, but for the moment, these five names would suit him fine.  They had explained to him that they were wild-men, the people of the land that fought and lived in the wild rather than flee to a different land and leave the demons to rule.  Jorose finished his meal and sat with his arms crossed, examining Link.  Link decided to ignore the eyes, and carried on eating until he had finished his food.

            "So, you have never been to Morëkotu before?" Jorose asked.  Link shook his head.  "Do you know any of our land's history?"  Link shook his head once more.  Jorose sighed exasperatedly and shook his head.  "You are a foolish boy, going to a land that you know nothing of!  Have you any idea of the perils that await you here?"

            "Oh, lay off the boy, Jorose!"  Olowren grimaced.  "We used to have many strangers that came to this land, knowing nothing of our people, our customs, our history."

            "Now pay attention Link," Packard told him.  "For I shall tell you of the history of Morëkotu.

"Long ago, more than one thousand years, there was a great warrior, who carried a shield meant to be a gift from the fairies.  It was named the Shield of Irishati, after the queen of the fairies that ruled in this land.  This shield was to stand for justice, valour, honour and truth.  It shone with a silvery white radiance and all who beheld it felt at peace.  This shield could guard against even the strongest of foes, and always reflected the land in its condition.  This meant that the more the king allowed the land to be corrupted, the worse condition the shield went into.  Then one day, two hundred years ago, there came a demon to this land."

"Fuorresh?"  Link interrupted.

"No," Packard continued.   "The demon lord Kealathen came upon this land, wishing to take it for his own kind.  He was ruthless and full of hatred, and the lands burned at his very touch.  It was during this time that the warrior Rathor took up the shield and guarded the land against the foe.  By this time the shield was as battered as the land, and seeming almost useless for battle.  Yet she used the shield, and Kealathen was destroyed.  But the cost was high – and not just because the warrior hero Rathor paid with her life.  With his blood, Kealathen tainted the shield, vowing that when one of true Morëkotu blood but tainted heart took up the shield, the land would fall into disarray, and the creatures of darkness would claim it for their own.  However, as Rathor died, she put her blood onto the shield, and blessed it with this hope:  That only after a decade of demon's rule, when all hope seems lost, a hero will come to the land and reclaim the shield of Irishati.  And the hero will not be of Morëkotu blood, but pure of heart.

"Two hundred prosperous years passed, and the curse went unheeded and showed no sign of being a threat.  But then, Sir Jerusinus – who was of true Morëkotu blood – took up the shield against our king - King Berelorn – wishing to claim the lands for himself.  From Kealathen's blood on the shield sprung forth Fuorresh, a demon in Kealathen's likeness – if, smaller and less powerful – and Fuorresh turned the king to stone where he stood, with his hands still on his sword hilt.  Then, he turned his attentions on Sir Jerusinus and poisoned his heart."

"And what of the shield of Irishati?"  Link asked.

            "Cast away," Diolass explained.  "Hidden from view, who knows where.  But the shield is still needed if we are to defeat Fuorresh and Sir Jerusinus."  The conversation ended, and memories, worries, hopes and fears were the only thoughts that filled their silence.

~End of Chapter 2~


	3. Castle Valarkinnen

Chapter 2 Reviews:  

TheKiwiPixie - I'm glad you like it!  I'm afraid that chapters will be quite short (between 600 – 1500 words usually) – but at least you can depend that updates will be regular!  Usually a short chapter is followed by a long chapter – well, long by my fan-fiction-writing standards, anyway.

~Chapter 3~

Link had decided that the only way that he would get to the bottom of all of this would be to go to the castle – Valarkinnen as it was called – and see what the situation was like from the place where it was being controlled.  With the clothes that Packard had given him – mottled tones of white – he had been able to hide reasonably well in the snow from the demons that walked this land, but he had not come this far without at least one skirmish.  He stole silently up to the very drawbridge of the castle, hiding behind a rock from the gaze of the demon guards.  The creatures were huge – twice the size of Link, and had the appearance of evolved lizards.  Blue, glowing veins forked like lightning covered their black bodies, and their malevolent eyes shone with the same mysterious ghostly blue colour.  Their armour, from their greaves to their gauntlets was chequered a dark grey and a rustic white, as were their large heavy shields.  Horns protruded from the sides of their heads, and curved around, like a goat's.

Link wanted to avoid the guards as much as possible, but he saw no other way into the castle without a confrontation.  Avoiding the view of the archers, he crept up behind one of the three guards guarding the entrance, and took him out with a single blow to the head.  This got the attention of the other two guards, and both rushed at him at the same time.  They ignored their fallen comrade, whose body was even now bursting into blue flames as their dead forms did.  After all, Link was just a kid and had only taken one of the guards out because he had caught them all unaware.  He couldn't win against two large demons now, could he?  And yet it was because of this attitude that Link managed to damage the leg of one of the guards, making him inefficient in battle, and Link and the other demon clashed swords.  The first demon guard wanted revenge and swung his sword downwards and would have landed right in the middle of Link's head, had he not stepped aside just in the nick of time.  Instead, the sword hit the left arm of the second guard, who let out a cry of pain.  _My arm!_ It said in a croaky voice in the same telepathic way that Fuorresh had used on Link earlier that day.  _Look at what you have done to my arm!_  Link became a second priority to the demon, who immediately turned on his own and began to hack his friend to pieces.  Link used this moment to strike a few blows, and soon both demons were lying on the floor, their remains bursting into blue flame.

Link turned away from the battle he had just fought and stared up at the archway above the entrance.  A grinning gargoyle sat above it, warding off any unwanted visitors with eyes that seemed to gleam with the knowledge of the terrors that would await him if he ignored the gargoyle's sentinel stares.  Did his grin just widen?  Had his body drawn closer to the arch, closer to look at Link?  No – he must have imagined it!  He took a step towards the castle and paused.  He felt fear, apprehension about going inside.  They would surely find that the three guards were missing before he could get out again, and that would mean that he was trapped.  But if he had obeyed his doubts back in Hyrule, Ganondorf would have ruled there for as long as he would live, and Link would never have fulfilled his destiny.  He would have to take a chance and trust to Lady Luck.  Taking a deep breath, he walked into the castle courtyard, and up to the very doors of the castle itself.

Had Link looked back, he would have noticed that the gargoyle was gone.

He opened the door slightly and peered inside; there were a few guards about, but he could run past their backs before they even had time to notice that he was there.  The guards were quiet; nothing about them seemed to register knowledge of his presence or of what had happened to the guards outside.  The alarm had not been sounded yet, then.  He sneaked into the corridor, closing the door behind him and quickly hiding behind a pillar.  Link could see where he wanted to go – two huge double doors were up ahead, each with the kestrel and moon engraved onto their doors.  It was most likely to be the main hall.  Waiting until the guards had turned their backs, Link ran past them as noiselessly as he could and hid behind another pillar.  He looked back.  They had not noticed him.  He let out a deep sigh, and turned to look straight ahead of him – and that was when he first noticed the eyes, and the scowling demon attached to them.

It strode forwards, taking its time to reach him, its face a vision of gradual but determined hate.  Link reached into his pocket and fumbled about for something to stun the creature with.  He found it in the very depths of his pockets – deku seeds, covered in a potion that Jorose had given to him.  Link covered his eyes and threw them into the demon's face.  When he looked back, the demon stood stunned in front of him, its face contorted with confusion.  The guards behind him had heard him though, and a commotion began to grip the castle.  Link ran for the door close to him, caring not if he was spotted now, and bolting the door behind him.  He heard the bodies slam into the other side of the door, attempting to break it down.  Link turned around to face the room.  It _was_ the main hall.  Blue and white banners cascaded from the ceiling in intertwined loops and twists, until they gently touched the floor.  Pillars of black, white and grey held up the second floor that consisted of two hallway passages, one on his left, the other on his right. The two floors were joined by two staircases on the far side of the hall and in between them on the wall, he saw what he was looking for – the Shield of Irishati.

~End of Chapter 3~

A/N:  in Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it was 'traditional' for enemies – demon ones definitely – to burst into flame.  I was trying to stick to that tradition, and stay as heavily to the game's ambiance as possible.


	4. The Knight

~Chapter 4~ (Yup – 'nother short chapter)

Link walked over to the other side of the hall, leaving behind the clamour of the demon guards that were attempting to enter the hall.  As he crossed the floor, lightning flashed from outside and illuminated the room.  The howling wind blocked out the sounds of panic.  The shield was as the wild-men had described it – a silvery white shield with the kestrel and moon that Link had seen almost everywhere within the castle.  He reached up, and somehow managed to just grab it with his fingertips, taking it down from the wall.  Strange… it did not seem to reflect the health of the land, nor did he feel a great inner peace come over him, but he put these down to exaggerated myths and legends created around the shield over the centuries since its creation.

It was then that he noticed the other presence in the room.  Or rather, he felt it.  Slowly, still gripping the shield between both hands, he turned around.  There was a figure in the room clad in white and blue armour that was chequered on the left breast and down the right leg and he was holding a white lance.  There was also a sword on his left hip, and a mace on his back.  Whoever it was, he could not tell because he was helmeted, but Link suspected that this was Sir Jerusinus.

            "So this is the fairy boy from the far away land that you told me about, Fuorresh?"  Link looked around, but he did not see the demon creature named Fuorresh anywhere.  The knight appeared to be talking to himself.  _He is the Hero of Time._  Fuorresh answered in his telepathic way, and yet his words seemed to reverberate around the hall as if they had been spoken.  "The 'Hero of Time'?  A grand title for a child – one I am sure you deserve and earned with courage and strength," the knight mused.  He drew his mace and cast his lance aside.  "However, your epic days are over, child.  You made a mistake coming to Morëkotu.  Your time is up – 'hero of Time'!"  The knight advanced towards Link, and Link lifted the Shield of Irishati up over his head in defence.

The mace came crashing down onto the shield, causing a huge dent in it and the sound of buckling metal echoed about the room.  Link was forced down onto one knee under the pressure of the blow, but he still held fast and kept his strength.  The mace struck another blow, and the shield shattered, and Link's hopes of restoring the land along with it.  The knight laughed.  "And now, for you!"  Link turned to the staircase - and ran.

The knight followed him up onto the second floor, and Link clambered out of a shattered window onto a small ledge.  Holding onto the cracks in the wall, he edged his way slowly along until he came to a flat part of the roof.  The demon archers below had spotted him and were attempting to shoot him down, but as of yet the nearest arrow had missed him by a metre.  Snow blew about him fiercely, aiding him by hiding him from the archers, but hindering his own sight.  He drew his sword and shield and he put a hand up to his eyes and looked about him wildly, his heart beating fiercely in his chest with a mixture of fear and adrenaline.  Something on the roof made a sound and Link swivelled around to see if it was his pursuer.  The knight was on the roof, but not at the point where the sound had originated from; in that space, there was Fuorresh.  Knowing that Link could not face them both, he backed away from them, coming closer and closer to the edge of the roof.  He could see that there were no demons down below him, only the soft white snow and serrated mountain rocks.  All of the time his mind was trying to devise some sort of escape plan, yet he saw nothing that he could do.  He withdrew onto the very edge of the roof, and wobbled slightly, arching his back to regain his balance.  But just as he thought he was stable again, his foot slipped in the snow, and Link fell.

~End of Chapter 4~

A/N:  I would _love_ to know if the fighting scenes are antagonising, boring, or completely devoid of anything coming anywhere near to provoking any sort of emotion.  Writing fight scenes is a lot different than reading it for the first time.  So if anyone could send in a review about this particular point (and possible ways to improve), I'll be very grateful.  Thanks!


	5. The Goron Chieftan

A/N:  Why won't the stars align in the centre?  This is really annoying me.

~Chapter 5~

As Link fell, the castle roof became further away, but he could still make out the two figures of the knight and Fuorresh, rushing to the edge to witness his end. All of Link's world became the white snow, the blustering wind and the sensation of air between his fingers as he fell. But despite how close Link was to death, no matter what he had expected to feel, he had never been so at peace before in his life. He had never felt so alive. He closed his eyes. This feeling was ripped from him when something jumped from the cliffs and grabbed him before they landed to the ground with a heavy thud. Link felt the shock go through him, but he was alive, and he had escaped the castle Valarkinnen. He looked up into the eyes of his saviour. It was a goron. Suddenly, Link became aware of an ache in the whole of his body. Perhaps he had been hurt more badly than he had thought whilst fighting the knight in the hall, and was only now feeling the repercussions of the mace's rage. The pain washed over him, acting like a sedative and putting him to sleep.

*

Link awoke in an underground cave, but he could tell immediately by the sounds of the footsteps and the smells around him that it was not the same cave as the one that belonged to the wild-men. He started up and looked around to see many dark grey faces looking at him. They were definitely gorons, but they were not the same as the ones that he had seen in Hyrule. Their markings on their backs were different – more like slashes and splats than stripes. They were taller and appeared to be stronger, and their eyes were not as carefree, nor did they seem as vulnerable as Hyrule's breed of gorons. Link looked beside him; there was a water bowl, and some food laid out onto a stone plate. At least they were as considerate as the gorons that he had known in his homeland.

"You were lucky. If Libris had not been watching the castle, he would never have known that you went in there against the will of the demon master, and he would never have caught you," the smallest goron told him in his gruff voice. Libris nodded his head in acknowledgement of the credit given to him. The small goron saw the confusion on Link's face, and decided that further explanation was necessary. "You wear the clothes of the wild-men, those that are our allies – though we rarely meet – in the battle against the demons. Because of this, your life was saved and you were taken to our home to be healed. I am Gorogis -" the goron held out his hand, and Link stood up and shook it. "The chief of the gorons of the Canmidris volcano of the land of Morëkotu." Link gasped with shock – this was a volcano?

"How can this be? I could not see any volcanoes when I came to this land!"

"Canmidris is old, and it is inactive on the surface, but underneath it still moves, and it provides us with all of the light and heat that we need. Do not worry! The last time it erupted was over a thousand years ago, before the Shield of Irishati was even created." Link nodded, but he still wasn't happy about being in a volcano, no matter how long ago the last eruption was. He introduced himself, giving his name and where he had come from, and the chief smiled with wonder and new-found admiration for Link.

Somewhere, far away, Link could hear the sound of music. It was the Song of Time. It took Link back to Hyrule, back to the Temple of Time – back to princess Zelda. He could see all of her features so clearly, as if she was standing right in front of him. How he missed his homeland, and he swore to himself that once he had found Navi, they would go straight home. He came back to the present and realised that the shield that the people of this land seemed to focus on as their hope had been destroyed. He explained this to Gorogis, but he laughed in return. "The shield was not destroyed, Link; for I know that Sir Jerusinus would not keep the item lying around in the castle. No – it is as the wild-men have probably told you; the Shield of Irishati was cast away long ago, hidden deep underground. But I – and only I – know of some zorans that are hidden in the watery river ways that may know where the shield could be located. They live at-"

Gorogis was jolted from his conversation as the torches on the walls all went out, and the room was bathed in shadow.

"Link, get down!" Gorogis cried over the shouts and screams of the other gorons. Link dived onto the floor, and as his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, he became aware of a demon-snake emerging from the deepest shadows, and going straight for Gorogis. _You will pay for saving the Hero of Time! You shall pay with your life and with your people!_ The familiar, grating voice hissed viciously, plunging its claws on its right hand into the middle of the chief goron's chest. Chief Gorogis flayed about wildly, trying to pull away from the demon and get the claws out of his chest. Then suddenly he froze, fear imprinted on his face. The snake-demon retracted his clawed hand and disappeared into the darkness. It was then that the goron warriors ran into the room, carrying torches. In the torch-light, they all saw something startling – Chief Gorogis had been turned completely to stone. Link realised that he had been on the floor the whole time, and that he had not moved an inch. What had he been thinking? He could have saved Gorogis! Libris joined his side.

"There was nothing that you could do to save him from Fuorresh's wrath," he told him, as if he knew what Link was thinking. "None of us could. But perhaps there is a way to save him now." Link gave all of his attention to Libris. "The fairies of this land know of the herbs and other ingredients to cure the stoning spell before it sets in permanently, but the spell must be removed within twenty-four hours." Libris's features became tainted with sadness. "And the fairies of this land all left long ago." The two of them looked back towards Gorogis, and Link shook his head. To find the Shield of Irishati, he would have to restore Gorogis and learn of where the zorans were. Slowly, the gorons left the room, and Link was left alone.

The Song of Time began to play again, and Link began to follow it until he found its source. It was a young goron lad, playing on an ocarina. The young lad stopped and turned to Link.

"Pretty isn't it?" He said, turning the instrument over in his hands. Sub-consciously, Link gripped his own ocarina – the Ocarina of Time – in his left hand. "I don't know where I heard it; it just sort of came from a dream, really." The goron lad fell quiet a moment longer. "You know, if you go to the old ruins, the monument where Rathor and Kealathen's battle took place and play this song on a full moon, a fairy – the last in the land – will appear." The goron turned back to his ocarina and continued to play.

*

Link rode Epona as fast as she could run; time was very important, and was not on his side if he wanted to save the goron chief. He did not like to do things on such a whim, but it was the only suggestion that he had had to save the goron chief's life and continue his quest. At last, he came to the area that Libris had directed him to: the monument of the battle. Link looked up into the sky. It was a full moon. The Fates were kind. Before him was a small pool that mirrored the sky perfectly apart from the last drops of rain that disturbed its surface. On the other side were the ruins of what appeared to be a cathedral, and only one wall fully remained. On it there was a carved and painted mural that had somehow managed to remain perfectly intact throughout the centuries. A woman (Rathor, presumably) with black hair and a tanned body clad in shining white armour clutched a sword and held up a brilliant silvery white shield – no doubt the Shield of Irishati. Opposite her, looming high above was a demon very much in Fuorresh's appearance, only more formidable and domineering. His face was twisted in pain, agony and anger as his blood leaked onto the shield. It was then that he noticed that Rathor's blood was also leaking onto the shield, a white colour, as pure as the shield. Most of it appeared to be artistic glorification, and Link assumed that most of the scene in front of him had probably never happened. Link turned back to the water, and he looked up at the moon in the sky. Then, he sat down; and he began to play the Song of Time.

~End of Chapter 5~


	6. Boleru

~Chapter 6~

Link closed his eyes and listened to the song. Everything around him seemed to melt away, and in his mind the ruins slowly restored themselves, and became the Temple of Time. It was a memory as vivid as the stories about his adventures, as powerful as Link's own resolve. As Link faded back into the world that he once knew, something in Morëkotu grew. When Link stopped playing the Song of Time and looked in front of him, there was a medium-sized green fairy, floating about in front of his face.

"Don't stop now," it said. Link guessed by the low tone of the voice that the fairy was male. "Keep on playing! The song reminds me of the queen – and the old days…" Link continued to play on the ocarina and the fairy danced and seemed to disappear into memories like Link had done only moments before. He stopped playing and when the fairy had returned from reminiscing, he examined Link from head to toe. "So who might you be?"

"Link," Link told him.

"I am Boleru," the fairy replied. "And I am the last fairy in Morëkotu. Kealathen and Fuorresh killed all of the others that didn't flee between themselves over the years." Link nodded his head in sympathy. "Is there a reason why you have awoken me?" Link explained the situation.

"Hmm… sounds bad. There is a plant in the Diagrell woods that has the power to cure the stoning spell. The plant is quite big and contains large purple seeds. It has quite vivid colours, so you will have no problems recognising it. Any other herbs used will help to speed up the process, but aren't necessary. Nevertheless you'll find them in the same place as the other plant. Well, good luck!" The fairy said, turning and returning to the furthest bank of the pool.

"Wait!" Link cried. Boleru stopped and turned back around to look at him. "Aren't you going to come with me?" Boleru shook his head.

"Kealathen is still out there, and I do not want to join my kind on the _other side_ just yet." Link told him that Kealathen had been vanquished long ago, and that now, only Fuorresh was anything like the demon lord had ever been. Boleru shook his head once more. "He is not truly dead…" A pregnant silence followed which was only disturbed by the whispering wind. "I'll… I'll follow you to the forest, but then I must return to hiding," the fairy mumbled quietly, so quietly that Link had to strain his ears to hear what he was saying. Link nodded and smiled – he had a fairy again! He quickly hopped back onto Epona, and with Boleru following, the trio quickly sped off towards Diagrell woods.

Epona came to a full halt yards away from the first trees of Diagrell woods and would not take another step forwards. Link did not blame her. The woods looked as if it was haunted at night, as if some great evil lay in wait inside, ready to snatch any fool who wandered in, ready to close its oaken jaws around the three of them and refuse to let them see the light of day again. Boleru visibly quivered, probably already regretting his decision to follow Link this far. Link dismounted. In the darkness, the trees appeared to be as black as the night, and on closer inspection, the bark _was_ black.

"This used to be the sacred woods of our queen…" Boleru whispered, awe and sadness both present in his voice.  It had changed so much in a decade. "What has happened to this world whilst I have been dormant?" As they had crossed the plains of Morëkotu, it had become more and more apparent that the peaceful land he and his kind had known when the queen had been alive was gone, and a landscape similar to that Kealathen had created long ago before Rathor had defeated him had replaced it. The fields were the only living thing left, and even they looked as if pestilence had swept over them. The land was getting old and worn, and Boleru was starting to feel it in himself. Time itself was getting old too. Before Boleru could react, Link drew his sword and shield and threw himself into the never-ending black demon under the canopy of trees.

The moment Link stepped into the shadows, everything in his sight went pitch-black – nothing could determine the trees from the darkness, no matter how long he let his eyes try to adjust. He couldn't even see – nor tell – the way that he had come. He was thankful that Boleru came to join him, the light that he exuded illuminating the darkness.

"I thought you said that it would be easy for me to find this plant?" Link said to Boleru.

"I-I had no idea that the world had changed so much," he stammered in reply. "We should take care – since these sacred woods have been defiled by Kealathen's touch, then perhaps the life has been as well." Something in the darkness screeched – not bird and yet it came from the tree tops. Together, boy and fairy crept deeper into the coppice.

~End of Chapter 6~

A/N: I hope I've put it across clearly that the 'black demon under the canopy of trees' is a metaphor for the shadows, not Kealathen or Fuorresh or anything like that. I don't use metaphors much, and I tend not to like them when I do use them.


	7. Hidden Horrors

Chapter 6 Reviews:

BMValkyrie – Thanks! I mean it – these are the kind of things I need to know about. It _does_ help. There should be a lot more detail about the environment and clothing entering the chapters, and I'll try to get every chapter over at least 1000 words. I'll also make sure to add a scene where you get to see how most of the characters react to the same topic. You've also made me realise that perhaps a further explanation of Morëkotu's history is necessary, and that I should add more detail to that aswell.

~Chapter 7~

Link extended his right hand in front of him; he could not even see his fingertips. Sighing, he put his shield back into his right hand and continued to follow Boleru. The fairy said that he knew where he was going, but Link found that hard to believe if they couldn't even see what could be a foot in front of them. Although the darkness was complete, the silence was not. He would occasionally hear rustlings only inches away from him, and out of the corner of his eyes he would see things that could not be seen. Sub-consciously, Boleru knew that they were not going to get out of these woods without an encounter that would not be in the least bit welcoming. The sooner they were out of these woods, the better.

"We're almost there!" Boleru told him, his voice betraying a tone of relief. Just as Boleru had finished his sentence, something fell from the tree branches above them and onto the floor around Link and Boleru. In the fairy's light he could see that they were not human, but part animal, part demon with their characteristic glowing blue eyes. Their faces were like skulls, and their bodies nothing but thin frames of skin and bones; they viewed Link as their next meal, and were not going to let him get away easily. The forest became deathly quiet. Link drew his shield closer to his body and drew himself into an offensive stance. He struck at the glowing eyes in front of him, but he only stabbed at the darkness. It became apparent rather quickly that they were a lot better at dodging and seeing in the dark than he was. He turned and with luck on his side, he managed to block an attack with his shield whilst Boleru buzzed about frantically overhead, begging Link to be careful. As Link dodged, struck out and defended himself, he counted the pairs of eyes staring back at him: six and a half. Link managed to strike out at what he believed to be their leader, and it fell to the ground and burst into blue flames. Using the light from the flames of the dead demon-creature, Link could see his other attackers better, and he managed to pick off four more. The two last enemies began to back away from Link, and howled a ghostly, piercing howl. He covered his ears and Boleru flitted about in the air above even faster. Link heard nine thuds fall from the branches and hit the floor in front of him, and six thuds fall behind him. He now had to face fifteen more of these monsters, as well as the two from the original seven. He could not take on such odds and expect to win! "Run, Link!" Boleru cried. "You must run!" Link did as his fairy suggested and fled.

He ran through brambles and branches, knowing that his pursuers were only a few metres behind him. He almost ran into a tree because he was running so fast and could not see where he was going, but he managed to avoid it at the last second. The only way that he knew that Boleru was still following him was because of the light that he was emitting, and this did not grip at the front of his consciousness. If Boleru did fall far behind, Link's instincts told him that he would have to keep running and the fairy would have to catch up with him some way or another. A claw slashed at his back and scratched his clothing, and he let his blind fear take over his body and allow him to run even faster. All he could hear was the throbbing of blood in his ears. All he could feel was the scratch across his back and his burdensome feet pounding on the heavy, hard earth.

"Stop!" Boleru cried, and Link's mind took back control of his body as he skidded to a halt. Stones that had been unsettled by his sudden stop bounced forwards in the direction that he would have continued to run and they clattered down a crevice, their echoes creating a similar echoing effect in Link's head about the fate that he would have shared had he not obeyed Boleru. He turned to face his hungry followers, bringing his shield about in front of his face. One of the creatures leapt at him, and Link ducked. The creature went straight over his head and into the crevice, howling a furious warning to its companions as it fell. Another leapt forwards, landing only inches in front of Link. It raised a clawed hand to strike, and Link raised his shield in response, but suddenly the creature stopped and turned to look to its left. Keeping the shield raised in front of him, Link cautiously took his eyes off of his attackers and followed the creature's gaze. He saw a faint light, swinging backwards and forwards through the trees. For some reason, Link's foes saw this as a threat, and ran back into the darkness silently never to bother him again. As the light approached him, Link became aware of a haunting tune sung by a woman, and sure enough, a cloaked, hooded figure came into sight, swinging the lamp backwards and forwards. The lyrics of the song became audible.

_Merrowin__, oh Merrowin,_

_I have waited for your sin._

_Merrowin__, oh Merrowin,_

_Cleanse your soul, be pure within._

"It's Lady Cathela," Boleru breathed. Link looked at the light with a puzzled expression on his face and continued to listen to the ghostly song.

_Merrowin__, oh Merrowin,_

_Let my patience not wear thin._

_Here I wait, to take you in._

_Merrowin__, oh Merrowin._

'Lady Cathela' continued to hum her haunting tune as the light changed direction.

"Follow her!" Boleru wailed. Link ran to catch up with the swinging light that kept the time of her song as well as her pace.

Before long, Link had caught up with Lady Cathela and followed her close enough to see her and keep the creatures at bay, and far enough not to be in her lamplight. He had noticed that her light could penetrate the darkness better than Boleru's fairy glow could, even though her lamp produced a fainter light. Her cloak was a dull white, torn at the bottom in places, probably by brambles. It was so long that it covered her legs almost all the way down to the floor, but he thought that he could see that she was wearing no shoes… what a strange thing to do with all of these prickly thorns lining the floor. The only other part of skin that he could see was her sleek, slender arm holding the lamp since the sleeve had fallen back to her elbow. He could not see her face because of the hood, but he expected that it was just as thin and lithe as the arm. A white crackled path appeared under the leaves on the ground, and he soon realised that Lady Cathela was leading him down this road to a central point, where other roads exactly the same met. The central point was shielded from his view though, hidden by more of the dark domineering trees. Her humming became stronger, and she broke into another verse.

_Oh, where are you, Merrowin?_

_The battle does begin._

_Merrowin__, oh Merrowin._

_Merrowin__, oh Merrowin._

Her song slowed, and she faded away before his very eyes, lamplight and all. Link stood there for a moment in shock and amazement. It became very dark and very quiet.

"Into the centre – quickly! Go through the trees!" Boleru shouted, and Link sprinted the rest of the way down the path.

~End of Chapter 7~

A/N: I just want to say that I have written _far_ better poems and songs than the one Lady Cathela sings, but she keeps repeating 'Merrowin' because it's meant to be mournful, not because of a lack inspiration. Although if you do want to call it insipid, I would have to agree with you. And don't worry – I won't forget to explain her part (_and_ Merrowin's) in all of this, but that explanation comes much later on!


	8. The Garden

I got two reviews!  Even if they weren't for the same chapter, I still got two reviews!  I'm so happy!

Chapter 7 Reviews:

BMValkyrie – It's good to hear that I am finally making my chapters long enough for my reviewers.  I have decided that I should get every chapter to at least 1000 words from now on.  The history of Morëkotu will probably stay along the storyline track, so you have more knowledge of what led to King Berelorn's demise at the hands of Sir Jerusinus and Fuorresh.  I'll probably need to put a 'history timeline' at the end of one of the chapters (without revealing anything for a future chapter).  This should prevent some confusion over what happened when.

Maelstrom Chaotis – I see what you mean about the shortness of the fighting style.  I try to use short sentences to give impact during these scenes, whereas (like you say) yours focuses more on description, and not just on the combat, but what it happening around the characters as well.  In my future fight scenes, it will not be as one-sided as when Link battles 'the knight', so hopefully this will make the battles in the story last longer.

~Chapter 8~

Link ran through the last trees and found himself in a clearing where a grey light managed to pierce through the trees. It was the most amount of light that he had seen since entering the Diagrell woods. The path that he had been walking on had been left behind with the trees and the ground that Link was standing on now was soft under his feet. What Link saw before his eyes was breathtaking – a gardener's paradise. Plants surrounded him and filled the circular shaped space that he was standing in – it was almost impossible for him to move without crushing a precious bloom! And these plants seemed to be unaffected by whatever had affected the woods. Floral and herbal scents spilled in the air and mixed and mingled to produce a fragrance that was so heavenly, Link knew that he would never smell anything like it again.

"This is the garden of Queen Irishati," Boleru explained. "Every herb you need to cure your friend is here." Gorogis! How could he forget him? It could be any time of day in these woods and he would never know!

"Quickly – where are the plants I need?" Link asked Boleru. The fairy directed him around the plants and Link took what Boleru told him to, but he was careful to make sure that he did not heavily damage any of the plants.

"And now for the final ingredient!" Boleru flew over to the centre of the circle, where the plants were exceptionally tall. Link carefully picked a path over to where Boleru was and parted the plants in front of him – and gasped. In front of him, a splendid large mauve and ochre petalled plant stood rigid and as high as the grasses that surrounded it. The plant grew climbers as well that twisted up the stalk and had small mottle red and orange blossoms along with large green pods that were bursting open with purple seeds. Everything that Boleru had told him earlier about the plant was true – it really was a vivid masterpiece of nature.

Link stretched his hand forwards and a wind rustled his hair, stayed in the garden a moment longer and vanished into the forest. For a moment, he paused and reconsidered touching the plant in case he damaged it, but he shook these thoughts away when he remembered Gorogis waiting for him to undo the spell that Fuorresh had put on him. Link took four of the plant's eleven seeds and looked up at Boleru.

"Now we've got to get back to the volcano," he told the fairy. He turned to look back into the dark forest – he would have to endure all of that again.

"Follow me into Queen Irishati's palace! There may be something there that we can use to go back through the woods safely," he told Link, and went over to the far side of the garden. Link followed him and found a boulder, but not all of it rested on ground – some of it rested on air. He could see some angular stone steps underneath, and pushing back the boulder, he could see that the stairs led deep under the garden. Boleru rushed down the passageway and Link quickly followed, pulling the boulder back over the passageway; the creatures – if they ever came into the garden – could not follow him now.

Boleru rushed into the chamber with Link barely a step behind him. As they reached the bottom step and walked into the hallway, both looked around each other, into the darkness. There were no lights on – Link had not expected any – but he could see water cascading _up_ the walls. The floor was a plate of glass and he could see many mysteriously shaped and coloured fishes swimming about underneath. He could see nothing else in the darkness.

"_Dehin__ meleni Irishati Toridel, mes arihen! Feleffo-schue nissiada, arihen gereho!"_ Boleru shouted into the hall. There was a momentary pause where nothing happened, but the hall then quickly lit up with light as bright as sunlight. It was such a contrast to the darkness that Link had to shield his eyes and let them adjust slowly. In the meantime, Boleru explained what he had shouted into the hall: "_Friend of Irishati Queen, am I! Sunrise underground, I command!_ It is the old command in the fairy tongue of this land. Only those who have been in the service of Queen Irishati – or have been her friends – know it." When Link took his hand away from his eyes, he took a better look around him. The walls and floor were carved with murals from the ancient days and scores for songs lined the walls. At the far end of the hallway there was a crystalline sculpture of plants that twisted and weaved about on the floor. On closer inspection, it was a throne for the fairy queen. He looked around at the songs on the walls; some he knew, others he didn't. He recognised the Song of Storms and the Sun's Song, but with the others he had to ask Boleru to translate the titles for him. Most were songs to make plants grow, to purify water or heal animals, but he memorised two of the songs – the one to purify water, and one known as Sentinel's Song. He did not know what the second song did – Boleru didn't know himself – but he could find out later on. He returned to the centre of the room and looked down at the song engraved on the floor.

"This is the Song of Winds – it is a spell that will take you anywhere in Morëkotu – randomly," Boleru added. Hopefully, it would take Link right outside of the Canmidris Volcano. He memorised this song as well, and began to play it. Winds swept about him and disturbed his garments. Link and Boleru were quickly becoming more and more transparent. Before they disappeared completely, Boleru looked around Queen Irishati's palace one last time. "Good bye… my queen…" he murmured before he and his voice vanished, and darkness returned to reign in the palace once more.

~End of Chapter 8~

A/N:  I hope that wasn't too much description for you all!


	9. Return to Canmidris

~Chapter 9~

The world around him changed as the winds hissed through his ears. It changed from the fairy queen's palace to the plains of Morëkotu where Link had first met Fuorresh. The fierce winds stopped and the calm breeze took over caressing his hair, face and clothing. Both of them looked up and they saw the castle, and beyond that the mountains and Canmidris Volcano. The ground trembled beneath them and Link almost lost his balance.

"The volcano must be active again!" Link exclaimed, and fumbled quickly for his ocarina to call Epona.

"Well, that settles it – we can't go to the volcano if it's about to erupt!" Boleru said all too cheerily, changing his direction to return to the old ruins. "Well, I'm going back to the-" Out of the corner of his eye, Boleru saw Epona rush to Link's side, and Link hopped on Epona without even a moment's pause and bucked her into action. He watched as horse and rider sped off into the distance, leaving him alone in the field. Boleru waited in the field a moment longer, contemplating what to do next.

"Liiiiiinnnnk!" Boleru called after the young boy, flying off after his trail.

Epona sped up, causing the demons that surrounded the area near the castle to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by her hoofs. Those that had bows and arrows used them to fire departing blows at Link, but Epona was too fast and Link made her dodge the attacks. The rumbles in the ground were beginning to occur more often, and they lasted longer and were more powerful. Boleru zigzagged over the heads of the demons – his fear rapidly increasing every moment he was close to them. The last time that he had seen demons in Morëkotu had been a long while ago, but the memory was still as fresh as ever, and just as unpleasant. He followed the path that Link took, and was catching up quite rapidly, leaving the demons far behind. Trying to leave the memories behind.

Link reached the last slope to the mountain, and watched as three grey, boulder-like forms rolled down the mountain towards him. He moved Epona quickly out of their way, and realised that the gorons were evacuating the volcano. The ground shook violently, and Epona bucked onto her hind legs, causing Link to fall off of her and onto the ground onto his backside. By now, Boleru was by his side but Link gave him no time to rest. He was back on his feet within seconds and with no regard for his own safety, he rushed into the volcano. Boleru, followed after much consideration, leaving Epona to fend for herself on the volcano's side.

Link rushed into the chamber where Fuorresh had attacked Gorogis – and where his stony form was still standing – and threw the herbs down in front of him. Boleru settled on the ground beside him and told Link exactly how to grind the herbs. All of the time whilst they were doing this, the ground was shaking violently, and the magma levels were rising and spurting about wildly. Link ground three of the four purple seeds he had collected, and once his rushed job was completed, he stood up, with Boleru flying up next to him.

"Now throw the herbs over his head and smother the area that was hit as well!" The fairy commanded. "I must fly through him, since he is not completely stone yet and bring him back to life!" Link nodded, and smothered the area where Fuorresh had struck Gorogis with the herbal powder, and throwing the rest over his head. As he did so, Boleru flew through Gorogis's heart and circled his head a few times, letting his fairy sparks settle on him.

They watched with growing anticipation and unrelenting worry for their lives as Gorogis began to blink, then roll his head, and slowly regain control of his body from the head downwards.

"Hhh… Link?" He breathed, drowsily regaining control of his body. "What happened? Fuorresh – where is he? And the volcano – is it erupting?!" Link smiled – Boleru's instructions had worked, and now Gorogis would return to normal! Link went to take another step towards him, but the volcano let out its most violent jolt, and a rock dislodged from the ceiling, hitting him on the head and knocking him unconscious.

"Link!" Boleru wailed, darting around his limp form on the floor. Gorogis leant down and picked him up, waiting impatiently for the stoning spell to wear off and give him control of his legs again.

"The magma is rising! Quickly – we must get out of here!" Gorogis told Boleru, and walking along with his legs still unwilling to let him regain control of them, he dragged himself through the chambers with Link's unconscious form over his left shoulder.

The exit was in sight and feeling the wind on his skin, Gorogis quickened his pace, but as he approached the exit more boulders fell and blocked the escape route.

"What now? What now!" Boleru wailed.

"Follow me!" They ran back down some of the chambers and into a large room where a floor was visible beneath them, but magma was quickly covering its floor and rising. Much to Boleru's shock, Gorogis jumped over the edge and landed ankle deep in the magma. Thankfully, it could not harm him because he was a goron, but Gorogis checked that none had splashed onto Link as he ran through the bottom floors and up a stairway to his private chambers. Inside, Gorogis grabbed wildly at a few objects before Boleru could see what they were, and before the fairy could ask what he had, they went back down the stairway, into the magma that was now up to Gorogis's knees. "Hold on, Link!" Gorogis said to the boy on his shoulder, even though he knew that Link was still unconscious. He waded through the hot molten rock, the fairy following close to him. These temperatures couldn't be doing Link any favours, even if Link was out of the reach of the magma for now. They reached another staircase and were relieved of the thick red liquid. The volcano juddered forcefully and Gorogis fell onto his knee, reaching a hand out to stable his balance and dropping the objects that he had picked up in his room. The jolts did not subside. "It's about to erupt!" Gorogis breathed, picking himself and the objects up off the ground and forcing himself down the hallway whilst the juddering earth made him wobble backwards and forwards. The chieftain knew that if they did not get out within the next minute, then boy, fairy and goron would be no more.

~End of Chapter 9~


	10. Reunited

Chapter 9 Reviews:

BMValkyrie – I thought that chapter 8 might be a little too short, but in the end I decided all of that description might make it a very tedious chapter for some – I like detail, but I know not everyone does.  Ah well – like you said, a small point.  Please stick around for the next few chapters – you're about to find out more of Morëkotu's vivid history!

~Chapter 10~

Gorogis pressed his right shoulder against the wall next to what appeared to be a window to the outside world, with boulders and rocks surrounding it and making the window smaller than it could be. He fumbled for a key in his hand, and took out a strange dark brown talisman that was flecked with beige along its edges. It was in the form of a kestrel, its wings spread apart as far as they would go. He pushed it into a hole in the rocks that was exactly the same shape, and pressed down on it hard, turning it as he did so. A mechanism clicked, and the rocks fell apart from one another and tumbled in and outside of the exit. The key fell out of the rock that he had put it into, and Gorogis picked it up.

"The magma – it's on this level!" Boleru told him, and as Gorogis pushed the boulders out of the way, he turned and saw a whole tide of magma rush towards him. His eyes widened in shock, and instinct took over as he ran out of the volcano, round the corner and along the rocky ledge. The lava gushed forwards and continued to flow – some of it towards him. But a great weight had been lifted from Gorogis since he had escaped Canmidris. It was then that the volcano erupted, letting its full force be felt and its presence known throughout the land. The sound was deafening. Ash rained down on them, and the air was full of poisonous fumes that caused all three men to choke. Gorogis pulled the fabric of Link's top up over the boy's nose – it would at least prevent him from breathing in a lot of the ash.  He shielded Link from the hot debris from the volcano by cradling him in his arms and stooping over him as he ran. Gorogis and Boleru would have to choke on the fumes until they could find a way to stop themselves from breathing in them in.

Boleru followed Gorogis around and down the mountain – avoiding the demon guards as they went – until at last they reached the bottom and found the other gorons there, weapons ready to fight any demons that came close. Some of them had found Link's horse and had brought it here, holding the reins so that she could not wander off. She didn't look at all pleased about it. When some of the gorons saw Gorogis they gasped and gaped – they had thought that the spell would never be broken, and that their leader was lost! And when they saw Boleru – they could not believe it! This land had a fairy yet! Though they had lost their home and most of their belongings, the goron people's hearts leapt with a new hope at the sight of this fairy and their chieftain. Perhaps Morëkotu could be taken back from the demon's grip after all. Libris stepped forwards and opened his mouth to apologise to Gorogis for leaving him behind, but Gorogis knew what he was about to say and silenced him by raising his hand.

"I understand why you left me – I was nothing but a stone statue, and if you had tried to carry me down the mountain, I would have hindered your progress. No doubt you would have been taken by the demons and killed. I have no anger towards any of you for leaving me behind." Gorogis knew that if he had been one of those fleeing from the mountain, he would have left his leader behind.  Gorogis looked at the boy in his arms. "Link saved my life, and it seems that he has brought a fairy back to the land," he said, taking in the fairy and realising what its presence meant for the first time. "We can expect great things from this hero, but right now he needs help – we all need help." Canmidris erupted again, its angry growl rolling across the lands and into the distance. Gorogis put Link's unconscious form on the back of Epona and took her reins himself. He turned back to his followers. "It is time that we paid a visit to our allies, the wild-men."

*

Link awoke and found himself back in the underground cavern of the wild-men. Or had he been there the whole time? There was no sight or sound of the fairy named Boleru, and from what he had remembered, he was in the Canmidris Volcano. It had most probably all been a dream. As he started to rise, a painful blow on the back of his head told him it was not so, and when he heard a joyful cry and saw the fairy come dancing down the passageway towards him, Link knew for a fact that everything he thought had happened really was reality. But how did he get back here?

"Link! You're awake!" Boleru said, buzzing about excitedly. "You saved Chief Gorogis! And now the gorons still have their leader!" Chief Gorogis must have rescued him, and they had abandoned the mountainside to go to the safety of the wild-men's caves. "Oh! They – the gorons that is – are setting up their things on the other side of the cave. You have been moved to a more quiet area to help your rest." Link looked around him: the lights on the walls were dim, but he could see that he was lying on a green palette filled with straw, whilst he was covered with a dark blue blanket. His boots, weapons and other belongings were by his side. "I'll show you the way back if you like, and then you can go to the leaders' meeting. Did I tell you about that?" Boleru asked. Link would like to go to see Gorogis and Packard and the other wild-men who led the base, but first there was one question that he had been meaning to ask Boleru, but in the rush to save the goron chief, he had not had the time to speak it and listen to the answer.

"Boleru," he began, "who are Lady Cathela and Merrowin?" Boleru settled on the palette next to Link, and began the tale. 

"When Kealathen killed Queen Irishati, we faries went into great distress and disorder. Some went into hiding, some were killed by Kealathen's demons, and some – like the queen – were killed by Kealathen himself. Others helped in the resistance by spying on the demons and doing anything they could. But most... most fled. They fled to the land of Harakow in the south west, and they did not return. Until fifteen years ago," he muttered. "It was a surprise to see the fairies of Harakow - that land had a fairy king and thus had a ruler to give order, whereas ours never recovered from the loss of our queen. We never wanted to replace her you see - she was the greatest that we had ever had, and no future queen or king would be able to compare to her legacy. They returned because there was great unrest in that land and the humans in Harakow called upon their allies in Morëkotu to go and save them. Apparently, a pestilence had come upon the land; nothing would grow, the people were sick and as a result the peasants were rebelling against the ruler. A company were sent out to see what could be done. They took with them food and medicines. I do not know much of what happened after this, but Sir Jerusinus and Jorose – one of the wild-men that I believe you have already met – were part of the company. There was no word for two years, but then the company returned, and with them a boy no older than fourteen. This boy was Merrowin." Boleru hesitated. "I know no more, only that before Fuorresh sprung from the Shield of Irishati, Lady Cathela and Merrowin fell in love and Merrowin returned to his land for a while... and that Lady Cathela was the daughter of one of King Berelorn's courtiers. Ask Jorose; perhaps he can fill in the gaps."

~End of Chapter 10~


	11. Decisions

A/N: Just so there's no confusion, the time of events skip back an forth, so in this chapter, we're with Link in the present to begin with, then we go back a few minutes and hear the discussion of the council, before Link interrupts and then we rejoin the present. And I _finally_ do some character descriptions and give more detail on personalities like I was rightly told to do by one reviewer.

~Chapter 11~

Link patiently followed Boleru as he led him back to the main section of the caves. Sometimes, the fairy took a wrong turn and they ended up at a dead end before the fairy remembered the correct route or had to ask a passing wild-man for directions. At last, they came to the main cave, directly off which there was a large room with double oaken doors in two places. Yet again, the moon and kestrel were the symbols being used as decoration. Link knew that this was an important room, because it was the only part of the cave which actually had doors. He knocked politely, and waited for a reply before opening the doors and walking inside.

*

In the wild-men's council room, Chief Gorogis, Libris his second-in-command, and the wild-men named Packard, Olowren and Jorose had gathered to discuss their next course of action. A fire was burning in the middle of the circular-shaped room, and it stretched and stirred the shadows of those sitting nearest to it. Libris sat near one of the closed doorways, keeping quiet and listening to the others whilst deciding on all of the possible available actions in his head. Gorogis and Packard sat by the fire, entangled in a long argument about what to do about Link. Packard had worn to the council what he had been wearing everyday as his normal wear: a mottled grey shirt with a small 'V' shape cut into the front near the neck. This then had brown string crossing through it and trailing down some of the outside of the shirt. His loose trousers were the colours of the fields – yellow tones with some greens and brown smudges and wisps here and there. His brown boots still had a bit of mud splattered on the toes from walking or possibly mud kicked up by his horse when riding.

Olowren squatted to Packard's left, less close to Gorogis and slightly further back from the fire. Now and then he made suggestions that were either forgotten immediately by the others or dwelt upon for ages. His clothes were in the same style as Packard's clothes, only the loose sleeves were cut off at the elbows and the colours were more ruddy reds and earthen colours – and they looked cleaner. His slightly long, curly yellow hair and brown eyes seemed to twinkle in the firelight. Jorose stood on the furthest side of the room, detached from the rest of the company. His arms were folded almost defensively, and his dark brown eyes were deep in thought and lost in choice. He was the best-dressed of all of the three wild-men present, and he had delved deep into his small chest of belongings to find his most splendid garment. It was a deep blue garment, the colour of the sky before complete darkness turns it black. It was rimmed in a vibrant light blue, and the same colour was also used for the stitching of the Celtic pattern that spanned across each breast and for the Celtic bands at the very cuffs and bottom of the coat. The collar was a low circular shape, exposing some of the ochre shirt he was wearing underneath. The coat did up on the left side, using yet more Celtic patterns as buttons. The baggy trousers matched the coat completely in terms of colour and style, and tucked neatly into knee-high boots that had obviously been purposely designed for these clothes. They were medium-brown boots with dark soles, and even on the boots the intricate Celtic bands which featured on the coat and down the trousers' sides continued to flow at the edges of the leather. There weren't any sides to the boots, for on each side a wide arrow shape had been cut out. This was definitely the outfit of a Lord, or some other noble from a kingly court. At the moment, Jorose seemed to be playing the 'referee' for an argument going on between Packard and Gorogis over what to do about Link.

"He is but a boy, Jorose! We should not be sending him off on such missions!" Packard pleaded, running a hand through his dark brown, almost black hair. His bright blue eyes showing genuine worry for what action could be taken. Gorogis shook his head.

"He is to be the land's hero! Think of what the legends say about a hero coming after 'a decade of demon's rule' – and think of what he has done so far!" Gorogis cried.

"He is but a boy, and sending him off to the waterways will surely mean his death!"

"But this is our hero I tell you – look at what he has done for us! Not only did he heal me after Fuorresh turned me to stone, but he has awoken a fairy back into this desolate land. He is from Hyrule, is he not? He is a hero not of Morëkotu blood, but pure of heart, just as the legend says! Time is getting short, and without our presence up in the mountains the demons will take full control and flood down here. We must take swift action now!" Libris sat quietly by the door, until finally, he spoke: "I think that we should give him a chance, after all, what harm could it do?"

"And we could help him on his way. We could give him gifts that would aid his quest!" Olowren added. "In the end though, no matter what we decide, it is Link's decision."

"But the boy will be risking his life, and heroes have to be older than his age! Please, Jorose! Do not send this boy to his death!" Packard implored. Jorose seemed to emerge from his trance-like state, and as he turned to face the others, he pushed back some of his scraggly raven hair out of the way of his eyes.

"If the boy wants to throw away his life, let him!" Jorose growled. "What would another taken life mean? If the boy wishes to continue on this quest you have set for him, Gorogis, then I will not hinder his progress and I will give him any help I can." Gorogis openly sighed with relief. "But do not get your hopes up, Gorogis, for we all know that the true hero of this land is _dead_!"

It was then that they heard a knock at one of the doors, and after Olowren told them they could come in, Link entered the room with Boleru right behind him.

"Link! There you are!" Gorogis greeted warmly. "I have not yet had a proper chance to thank you for saving my life, so let me thank you now," he said, bowing to the boy. Link bowed back as a thank you, and turned to Jorose.

"Come, boy," Jorose told him bitterly. "It is time you received your gifts."

~End of Chapter 11~

A/N:  I haven't really cared much about reviews for chapters in the past – yes, I've asked for them, but I haven't been that bothered if I haven't gotten any.  But I really, _really_ would appreciate anyone reviewing this chapter and as many reviews as possible, and the same goes for the next chapter too.  Thanks in advance to anyone who does review!


	12. The Dead Hero

Chapter 11 Reviews:

Maelstrom Chaotis - *Nods in agreement* A lot of description – but I love to go into those tiny little details that really make a character's clothes so unique!  I think that I have done the style you have described before – work the details in, but for some reason I keep doing 'block' description.  I'll keep in mind what you've said though.

A/N: Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 were going to be combined, but 2,662 words in one chapter might have been a bit too much to read when sitting at a computer screen. Plus you get the added tension of having to wait after such a revelation. : )

~Chapter 12~

Link had taken a potion that had helped the healing of the wound on his back, but it had not fully closed and looked black where the claws had slashed their deepest into his skin.  Libris had explained to him that it was a wound inflicted by a demon, and because the demon's of this land were more powerful that in any other, so was the wound they had inflicted.  Although the medicines could stop the pain and heal most of it, the gashes would not be fully gone until the demons were vanquished.  And to do that, _someone needed to defeat Fuorresh and Sir Jerusinus.  He knew that 'someone' was going to be him._

The wild-men had packed a bag for Link containing food, a decent supply of water, and they had even supplied him with rupees in case he needed to buy something from the zorans – if he ever managed to reach them. Unfortunately, they did not have the means to repair the rips in the back of Link's shirt, nor another shirt to replace it. Even though he had his old clothes, he preferred the ones he was already wearing for this land; camouflage had done much for him. Gorogis handed him a stone key in the shape of a kestrel, and said: "It will prove that you were sent by us; the zorans of the land will not readily welcome outsiders, but hopefully our friendship with them still holds strong after such long years of strife." Link thanked him as he took the gift. Packard stepped forwards, dry-washing his hands thoroughly.

"I am afraid that we wild-men have no special gifts to give you," Packard began, but Jorose stepped forwards clasping something in his hand.

"Actually, Packard, we _do_ have something to give to the boy," he opened up his hand and held out a small silvery blue pearl. "This is the Zoran's Pearl," Jorose explained. "It was given to King Berelorn long ago as a token of friendship between the two kingdoms; those of the land and the waters. It will aid you by giving you breath underwater for as long as you keep it in your mouth. I would not recommend swallowing it," he added.

"Link, are you sure you want to do this? Going off on your own, it's – it's suicide! Please reconsider Link, think about staying in a group with us where it's safer," Packard begged him, but Link shook his head and explained that he always worked alone. That way, he could only be responsible for himself and he was free to take any risks necessary.

"I advise approaching the waterways from the river in the west. If you intercept it up north, you will have less distance to swim. Be warned though; a fierce aqueous monster guards the waters for Sir Jerusinus, and the water itself is poisoned, so do not swallow any," Jorose cautioned him. "You will have to swim through underground tunnels and caves before you come across the zoran's kingdom. They do not wander out of their domain because the water in their domain is pure, whilst the tainted water of the rivers would kill them. If you ever do manage to get to the zoran kingdom, you should know the name of the ruler there. King Hudiael was the ruler there before the war against the demon's started – perhaps he is still the ruler now."

"Good luck Link! Good luck to both of you! I have faith in you," Gorogis told him and Boleru. Libris smiled and waved goodbye, whilst Packard seemed to be holding back tears.

"Good bye Link!" He said, his voice no more than a hoarse whisper. Olowren also said his goodbyes. Link looked to Jorose, expecting a farewell, but Jorose sneered at him and turned away, walking down one of the tunnels.

"Well he was very friendly, wasn't he?" Boleru muttered.

"Do not let Jorose's attitude dampen your spirits, Link," Olowren told him. "He has been very cold and unapproachable since the war began. The war changed us all, true, but Jorose was the most changed by it." Link watched Jorose stride off further down the tunnel before he ran after him.

"Jorose! Jorose!" Link called, quickly catching up to him. Jorose stopped and turned to look at Link. "I heard what you said in the council room," he told him. "About the 'true' hero being dead."

"Oh?" Jorose said coolly, arching an eyebrow.

"I was wondering what you meant by it."

"Ah." Jorose knelt down and grabbed Link roughly by the sides of his arms whilst pulling him to face Jorose directly. "Now let me tell you about the _true_ hero of Morëkotu, Link," he began, still kneeling and holding Link's arms. His voice was despondent, and his eyes were full of cold fury – not for Link, but for himself, and for an unalterable past. "Let me tell you about _Merrowin_!" The name seemed to resound through Link's mind, as more questions rose and others died. "I travelled along with Sir Jerusinus to Harakow fifteen years ago, whilst Sir Jerusinus was still content with being a knight. The king of Harakow had begged us to go there with medicines and food for the people." Jorose shook his head, and for a moment he forgot that Link was there, muttering to himself, "there was more than a pestilence and a plague upon that land… much more." His eyes looked back into Link's own. "Sir Jerusinus found an orphan there called Merrowin – a lad no more than twelve years of age. He took Merrowin as his adopted son, and took him back here to Morëkotu when we returned two years later. Sir Jerusinus trained him up to be a knight like him, and over a period of three years, he became a master swordsman."

"What about Lady Cathela?" Link asked.

"She was his lover. They fell in love the year before Merrowin decided to return to Harakow, to see the land and people he had descended from. It was not long after Merrowin left that Sir Jerusinus claimed the Shield of Irishati as his own, and the war against the demons began again. Merrowin was gone for ten whole years, but at last, he returned earlier this very year.

"Seven months ago he returned with dire news about Harakow. The plague there had never truly vanished and had ravaged the land and people even before our company had tried to help fifteen years ago. And now the plague and desperation in Harakow was as strong as ever. But now Morëkotu had its own problems and it was difficult enough finding food for ourselves and preventing the demons from entering that land too. The poor boy was so distraught when he saw what had happened to Morëkotu, and set about trying to rally the people to take back the land. It must have been difficult for him; to leave one plagued land only to enter another. The people had no faith in Merrowin, for after all, he was the adopted son of Sir Jerusinus, the one responsible for the pains on this land. At least he had some happiness from Lady Cathela, who stood by him and his decisions. However, the worst was yet to come for Merrowin. Lady Cathela was warned by the village people of Aldænde that Merrowin was a thief and could not be trusted. The village people would not let the couple see each other. In the end, she became so desperate to see him that she left a note for Merrowin and went to the Diagrell Woods, where it was their meeting place – a place that Lady Cathela had gone to since she was very young. But after Lady Cathela had left, the village people of Aldænde took their rage out on Merrowin, and before anyone who still held power and responsibility could put a stop to their violence," _Before **I** could stop the violence,_ he thought to himself, "Merrowin was killed. The rumours that he was a thief were nothing more than that - fabrications. Only days later, demons stormed the village of Aldænde and reduced it to rubble, killing all that lived there. Lady Cathela never found out about Merrowin's death, and it is said that she pined away at the edge of the Diagrell Woods, waiting for Merrowin to meet her. Merrowin's ghost still haunts his favourite place, the Siredown Heath – I have seen him myself! And Lady Cathela's ghost apparently haunts the woods, and they will continue to do so until all of the demons are gone from this land.

"Merrowin was not of Morëkotu blood, but he was pure of heart. And he came to us after a 'decade of demon's rule', as the legend says. So you see, Link – 'Hero of Time'," Jorose sneered, taking his hands off of Link and standing up again. "I don't believe that you are the hero of Morëkotu, because we have already had one. And he is dead." Jorose stalked off down the corridor, leaving Link and Boleru to stare after him in bewilderment.

~End of Chapter 12~

A/N: Bet you weren't expecting that eh? ^.^ (Well, I certainly hope you weren't…)  Like I said last chapter, any reviews submitted would be greatly appreciated – especially for this chapter!


	13. Forgotten Ruins

Chapter 12 Reviews:

BMValkyrie – Yep – I was going for a dark and foreboding feel!  Jorose has become a bitter man, believing that the mistakes he and others made in the past led to Merrowin's demise and possibly sealing the fate of Morëkotu forever.  But whether it has or not, we will have to wait and see…

~Chapter 13~

Boleru circled Link's head as the boy sat upon Epona. He knew that the waterways were on the other side of Morëkotu, and had decided instead to chance using the Song of Winds to try to take them closer to their destination. Hopefully, he would not end up outside Castle Valarkinnen, surrounded by demons. After Jorose's revelation, Link's future seemed unsure. Could he still heal Morëkotu? Or had Merrowin truly been the chosen one, and had failed in fulfilling the legendary prophecy? He did not know, and if he gave up now, he never would. He took out his ocarina, and after he had played the final note of the song, winds enveloped all three of them, and as gorons and wild-men looked on at them in complete astonishment, they vanished from the wild-men's cave.

*

They emerged not by water, but surrounded by high stony cliffs, a mossy carpet beneath their feet. There was no sign of life… no birds, crickets of even trees. Rubble from collapsed structures littered the ground in places, and in others moss had consumed it, reabsorbing the man-made walls and encompassing it in nature once more. The sun high above illuminated their position, and as Link looked around, he noticed that the rock-face had no gaps in it – there was no way out.

"Where… are we?" Boleru asked him. Link had no idea – this location certainly was not on his map, nor had the wild-men mentioned anything of the sort. The aura of this place was definitely eerie and full of malice. It felt as though the very ground that he was standing on wanted to rip itself open and rid the area of his presence for good. He noticed in front of him what appeared to be some sort of doorway to an underground temple. There were pillars either side, with gargoyles sitting on top, both waning him to stay away with fixed expressions of aggression. There were even stone steps that led up to a platform, but where a door should have been, there was nothing but a solid wall of stone. He dismounted from Epona and approached. "Link!" Boleru warned, and as Link turned to look behind him, a massive stone arm sent him flying. Epona cried out, and looked as though she was going to run, but instead she stamped her hoofs on the ground and bucked wildly when she realised there was nowhere to run to. Link quickly recovered and stood back up again, in time to look up at a stone warrior, mouth-less like Fuorresh, and wearing stone armour that reminded him of the metal attire that the demons surrounding the castle wore. As he looked around him again, he noticed statues of these stone warriors lining the walls, moving and coming to life at his presence. They seemed to drag their heavy feet forwards, moving them slowly, one at a time, and as Link counted his enemies, he realised he was surrounded by ten of these stone defenders – and he could not battle them all at once.

In an attempt to get back to Epona, he threw a bomb at the stone giant separating the two of them. It had no effect on the creature's concentration or its physical appearance. The warrior began to swing its sword downwards into Link, but he managed to dodge just in time, running to Epona and somehow managing to grab her reigns. "Quick – let's get out of here!" His fairy companion wailed. Link whipped out the ocarina again as the stone warriors approached. The one that had taken a swing at Link only seconds before was approaching him again as he played the last phrase of the Song of Winds. The stone warrior raised the sword once more, ready to make a killing blow. Winds began to swirl around Link as Boleru panicked, flying around Link's soldiers and Epona tried to move away. They had half-vanished as the stone warrior brought his sword down heavily where Link had been standing – only to hit nothing but air and mossy ground.

*

Epona, Link and Boleru found that as the winds around them stopped, their scenery had changed dramatically. Not only were the cliffs gone, but the mossy ground was now long thick reeds and rushes, and a river was nearby though the waters did not look pure. The water was grey, apart from a brown or green streak here or there. Sometimes a bubble penetrated the surface, though he was sure that it was not from the river, but from something _in_ the river – if anything could have survived in water like that. In the distance, he could see the cold and black Diagrell woods, and knowing that, a chill ran down his spine, lingering in and around the wound marks on his back that had come from a creature's claws. Behind him, he could see Siredown Heath.

Boleru wilted and sunk to the ground.

"Let's _never_ use that song again!" He complained, and Link was inclined to agree. That last sword attack on them had been too close for comfort. Link took out his map and tried to work out where they were.  High up north, there was Canmidris, with Castle Valarkinnen to the right of it and the ruins of the town of Callodwell.  A little south of that, further to the east, Link could see where he had first entered the land of Morëkotu, and gone west into the fields where he had first met Fuorresh.  To the west of the fields, there were dark, sinister markings that made the shape of the Diagrell woods, before a river going south cut the land in two.  To the east of the river was the wild-men's caverns in the mountains and cliffs, and the ruins that marked the place where Rathor had fought Kealathen for the freedom of the land.  To the west of the river, in the south was the Siredown Heath, with the ruins of the town of Aldænde bordering its right side.  Above that, he saw the place where he was going; surrounded by cliffs and connected only by a single river, was Eirou – the zoran's sanctuary.  Above Eirou was another larger, possibly deeper lake, connected by a river.  As he had thought before, the strange temple-like place was _not_ on the map.

Though they were nowhere near as far north as Jorose had advised them to be, they could be at Riverdown – the place where the marshes became a valley from hard solid rock being worn away at for millenniums, and where the ground south of it became a steep slope – by nightfall. Link got back onto Epona and kept a good distance from the river, making sure to look for demons everywhere around him. Although he saw nothing that could harm him, he knew well that he was being watched – he had felt this feeling a thousand times before to know that he could not be mistaken. And all the while, the 'eyes' seemed to be emanating from the water.

Although Link dwelt upon what this 'fierce aqueous monster' that Jorose had mentioned would look like that he would have to fight to use the waterways, he dwelt upon what had just happened even more. He did not know what that place was, but he had the feeling it would play a part on his adventure… and he knew that at some time, he would have to return.

~End of Chapter 13~

A/N: I thought you might like to know what Morëkotu looks like; that's why all of that map description is in there.


	14. The Water's Guard

Chapter 13 Reviews:

BMValkyrie – Thanks! : ) I'll try to make the length a bit longer here (this is one of the chapters where it is two thousand words) and there will be a few more 'sub-plots' later on, but you don't really see all of them happening – for this story, knowing what the enemy is up to (or to even hint at it) could have major spoilers. But yes – more sub-plots are a definite thing I need to get around to adding – I have a few good ones worked out already. And don't worry – I'll make sure to keep up the effort!

~Chapter 14~

As Link approached Riverdown, cliffs began to push him along a riverside pathway. The ground here was higher than the water it ran next to, and was not as wet as the marshlands. He did not like the fact that the river was sided by cliffs, because if anything went wrong, escape would be near impossible. Epona and Boleru had seemed to come to an unspoken pact that they would keep quiet; the atmosphere of Riverdown unnerved them both. Whilst he was scanning over the water's surface, he noticed that it was rippling. Something was moving in the water. He reigned in Epona and drew his sword, expecting something to emerge. After several moments, nothing did. They continued up north, and Link's sword remained drawn. The three eventually came upon an area where the cliffs were not so close to the river, and up ahead, Link could see only a solid wall of rock; the river only continued underground. It was then that scaly spikes penetrated the water's surface before disappearing into the murky depths. Link froze. The water began to swirl into a whirlpool, and Link jumped off Epona, making his sword ready. He gingerly edged closer to the water's edge to catch a better glance at what he was facing, with Boleru following only a metre behind him. The whirlpool became more and more ferocious, spinning faster and faster until the tip of the water was abruptly broken by a long, scaly grey-blue snout. An endless neck slithered out of the water, holding up a terrible, fiendish head. The creature roared aloud at him, a high-pitched groaning-shrieking noise that seemed to rumble in his ears. This was the monster that Jorose had warned him about, and he would have to defeat it before he could use the waterways.

The beast was huge; its body took up half of the river's width, and Link could only guess at its length. It had scales that looked as if they were made of some kind of stone, and here and there a whitish vein, possibly made of crystal, seemed to interrupt the ever-flowing grey. There were two pointed, long triangular fins on either side of its head that Link took as ears. The jaws contained three rows of razor sharp teeth, and two fangs on either side of the front row. Between the demon's eyes, running down the tip of its snout, there appeared to be some sort of stony armour, protecting the top part of its head. And as with all of the demons in this land, the eyes glowed with a blue fire. The two unuttered enemies contemplated each other for a moment, and then finally, the demon spoke.

"Who is it that approaches the waterways, which belong to my master, the mighty Sir Jerusinus?" The demon demanded. Its voice seemed to rumble over the plains like thunder.

"Link of Hyrule!" Link declared.

"Oh? So this is _he_ that Fuorresh warned me about! Yes, boy – he said you would come; he _knew_ you would come. But I don't understand why he is so worried over such a tiny little morsel… yet it does not matter, for I shall still put an end to you!"

The demon roared yet again before rising slightly higher and plunging back into the water. But as he did so, Link noticed something about the demon's body: he could see larger, loose looking scales at intervals along the creature's form. He counted the larger scales, and came to a total of six altogether – three on either side of the demon's body. Whether they _were_ a weakness or not, he was about to find out.

"Boleru! Go and check out those larger scales – I'll keep it busy!" Boleru looked at the massive size of the tail as it vanished into the water and backed further behind Link. "_Please_ Boleru!" The demon shot up from the water, it's jaws going straight for Link. As the Hero of Time dodged, throwing himself to the ground, Boleru flew upwards. Both narrowly missed the creature's sword-sharp teeth, and as the fairy passed the demon's large scales, his eyes caught sight of something underneath them – a soft tissue-like layer by the appearance. He turned to look back at Link, and as the serpent's head turned and headed back to the water, Link crawled back onto his feet – only to be knocked down again by the tail. The head resurfaced. It was in this moment that it dawned on Boleru that if he did not do something, Link would die. And so, for the first time in the fairy's life, he did something truly courageous – he flew in front of the demon and distracted him whilst Link regained his awareness. The monster twisted and turned, snapping and lashing out in an attempt to swallow the fairy.

"Link! Hit the scales with your boomerang! Knock them off and then use your sword!" Link stumbled about, trying to make sense of his surroundings and what Boleru had told him. Within seconds, he was back to his normal self, and using what Boleru had told him, he took out his boomerang and aimed for the scales.

The boomerang missed.

He tried again, and the scale fell off into the water. The beast was not in the least bit pleased. It charged at Link once more, and this time Link managed to successfully evade the attack, jumping to the side. The scales quickly slid past, and as they did so, Link readied his sword. The soft patch of skin came into his range and he struck, his sword digging deep into its skin. The demon convulsed, screeched and threw itself upwards – taking the sword _and_ Link with it. As the creature writhed in the air, Link clung on for dear life.  His grip failed. He fell through the air and hit the ground hard – but the water-monster did not notice - it was too busy lashing out at Boleru in its pain. Link used this time well, and used the boomerang to knock off another scale on the one side of the demon's body and two on the other side. This left only two more scales to deal with, and they were nearer the tail. The sword was still in the demon's body, and it did not look as though it was going to fall out. Link could not reach it – and he had no other method for stabbing the skin patches.

Abruptly, Boleru fell to the ground, covered in a watery translucent green substance. It was something that the aqueous beast had secreted from its mouth. The demon began retreating to the water – taking Link's sword with it. But right now, the boy was more interested in Boleru. The fairy shivered whilst he was in some kind of paralysis, but other than that, Boleru did not appear to be in any pain. He wrapped the fairy in his arms and turned back to the demon in time to watch it plummet back into the water. For a long time, the world became unpleasantly still. Other than the ever-flowing current, the water was not disturbed. Placing Boleru behind some rocks out of harm's reach, Link began to edge closer and closer to the water. As he peered over the side, he could make out the outline of his sword… but not the demon. He knelt down and peered harder – it was _floating_ in the water. He reached out to grab it…

…and pulled it from the water. There was a horrible scum covering his arm up to where he had plunged it, but at least it was still attached. Link backed away from the water, and the demon sprung from it's depths again, the jaws going straight for him. Link slashed at his nose and the creature recoiled, giving Link enough time to strike again at two of the scales. The demon became more and more desperate, lashing out more aggressively without thinking, and Link managed to hit yet another exposed skin patch. Time passed by, and as the demon became more desperate, it struck out with jaws, tail and mouth poison. But Link had seen many battles and conquered many foes – this demon had not. It's inexperience and arrogance was going to be its downfall. However, it was not defeated yet, and the last scales were harder to hit. Time passed by, the sun sunk lower in the sky, and boy and demon continued to clash without one becoming victorious over the other. Link tried and tried, but he could not hit the lower scales near the demon's tail, hidden in the water. Both were becoming tired and reckless. And then, Link went for his most desperate strategy – he put the zoran's pearl into his mouth and threw himself into the water's murky depths.

He could barely see anything, and he knew that in the 'water', the demon had superiority. Link could feel the snake-like body moving beneath him, and by chance – he saw the end of the tail. He grabbed onto it, and felt the demon's head twist around to meet him in the water. Link had to act fast. He felt along the skin for the scales, and pulling them off, he stabbed them with his sword. He had enough time to look up and see the monster's head before he thrust himself to the surface – avoiding being eaten once more. Link swam to the river's bank and dragged himself from the water. He popped the zoran's pearl out of his mouth and into his hand. The wound on his back stung from the scum. He turned to look at the demon; its head had resurfaced, and lay sideways on the ground out of the water. It was defeated. Link turned to attend to Boleru – but the demon had not yet finished with him just yet. Link suddenly felt a horrible searing pain on his back – and turned to realise too late that he had been sprayed with some of the demon's poison. Before he could do or say anything more, the demon burst into flames – and all that was left as evidence of its existence was the creature's protective crest.

He turned back to Boleru, and picked the fairy up. He was still paralysed, but Link thought he knew of a way to deal with that. He dropped the fairy into the shallower part of the water, and played the Song of Purification. The water became pure, and Boleru flew about freely, perfectly fine.

"Thank you, Link!" He said, and turned to watch the water turn back to a murky colour.

"I don't understand…" Link began – he thought that the spell would keep the waters pure.

"As long as the demons control this land, all will be tainted – but look! The water _is_ clearer than it was before!" Boleru told him. Link looked at the water quality, and realised that the fairy was right.

Link went over to the demon's crest and picked it up. It was large and surprisingly light – it would make the perfect shield. He put it onto his back, and returned to the water.

"It's time we went to visit the zorans," he told Boleru.

"But what if there are more demons?!"

"We have defeated the worst, and I will make sure everything is alright." Boleru looked apprehensive about going into the water… but he did trust Link – _and_ he wanted to see the zorans. Link put the pearl back into his mouth, and with the fairy following close behind, they went through the underground waterways to find Eirou – the zoran's domain.

~End of Chapter 14~

A/N: For some reason, writing this chapter did not come easily for me; it felt very forced (hence, I do not feel happy with it). Strange – I usually feel very inspired when it comes to fight scenes.


	15. Eirou

Chapter 14 Reviews:

(Two reviews for the same chapter!  That hasn't happened before! ^.^)

BM Valkyrie – Haunt me indeed : ).  Though thankfully, you're the kind of 'ghost' I want to be haunted by!  I see what you mean about the last chapter – it didn't feel complete to me either.  Something was missing – perhaps it was because I didn't describe the demon's exhaustion at the end as he lay on the bank, and as a result, he didn't seem defeated.  Well it will be re-edited at some point when I get my inspiration back, and I'll put a note at the beginning of this chapter to show when I have properly re-edited it.

Chase, James and Johnny – Hehehe – if you liked chapter 14 as it is, wait until I go back and re-edit it! : D  Stay tuned – there is lots more of the adventure to come!

A/N:  This chapter is long, and consists mostly of description, so for those of you who don't like long description chapters, you have been warned!

~Chapter 15~

Link emerged from the underground caves to find himself in the centre of a large pool of water.  The sides of the pool were high, and no matter what direction he turned in, the high rim prevented him from seeing his surroundings.  Boleru flew out of the water and circled his head.

            "Wow… is this it?  It must be – how long have we been under there searching for this place?"  Half an hour at the very least.  As Boleru flew over to the edge of the pool, Link followed, swimming on his back.  Above him was a silvery blue dome, lit by a mysterious light source.  Covering the dome's surface were strange, flowing arcane images and patterns in a dark blue ink.  They were beautiful, even if he did not understand their meaning, but one image he did recognise – the centre one; it was the kestrel and moon.  Link turned his body to directly face the way that the kestrel was flying, and before he knew it, his fingers came into contact with solid stone beneath him; they were steps.  He turned around and stood up, taking the Zoran's Pearl out of his mouth and putting it into his trouser pocket, Link moved up the steps to Boleru, who was waiting by the large ridge for Link and was refraining from peeking until he was there.  Link checked that the shield was securely strapped onto his back in case there was trouble, and slowly, he looked over the edge.

The mysterious patterns were also covering the circular walls of the chamber, and lit by the unknown light.  The patterns led his eyes down a corridor, into…

            "By the moon and kestrel!  Link – look!"

…the main chamber, where they could see the zorans moving about.  Link and Boleru rushed forwards, excited at the prospect of getting to see these aqueous people after spending so long searching in their caves for their home.  They slowed as they reached the end of the corridor, mainly in case they startled the zorans, but also because they were awestruck by the main structure – Eirou, the zoran's sanctuary, was constructed of huge silvery white crystalline domes; and they had just entered the main one.  The lights were reflected from the outside's dying light, and large blue flames at the bottom of the structure were reflected and refracted the as they passed through the different pieces of semi-opaque crystal.  As dusk wore on into night, the flames became the main lighting source, and everything took on a hauntingly sparkling pearl topaz tint.  In all of his travels, he had never seen such a sight – and he never would again.

            "Uhh… Link?"  Boleru's voice drew his attention to the people in the main chamber.  They were all staring at them, and one or two were whispering, pointing, gaping or all three.  Link noticed that amongst these zorans there seemed to be three different types; warriors with darker skins and vibrant, savage stripes that were similar to the gorons' of Morëkotu.  These zorans were tall and muscular, and carried spears or lances – they were warriors.  The second type was smaller and more slender, with sleek features and graceful movements.  Their stripes and spots were more a whitish silver, and the rest of the skin was only a few shades darker.  The third kind was a cross between the two other types, and more closely resembled the zorans he had known.  Some of the warriors were running towards him.  Link readied his shield and grasped the hilt of his sword.

            "Guards!  Protect the sanctum!"  A clothed zoran cried out, before vanishing amongst the crowd.  The sentries approached him and slowed their pace.  Some had their lances pointed at him, whilst others held them pointed towards the sky.  Link didn't expect them to harm him – they were more curious and wary than aggressive – and so he took on a more relaxed stance.

            "Who are you?  How did you get here?"  One guard demanded. "And what has happened to Ukellion to mean that you can reach Eirou?"

            "Are the waterways clear again?"  One of the civilian zorans asked excitedly.  A loud babble arose, and one or two of the crowd ran over to look at the large pool's water from where Link had arisen.  Others stared at this new stranger and moved in closer, crowding Link and Boleru.

            "What is that thing upon his back?"

            "Look!  A fairy!  When was the last time we saw one of those?"

            "Where are the gorons and the humans?  Are they okay?  Why have they not come?!"  Before Link could answer any of the questions spoken to him, another voice at the back of the crowd spoke, and the zorans began to quieten down and move aside.

            "Let me through please!"  A male voice called.  "I am a philosopher!  Please let me through to see the boy!"  Eventually, a robed zoran made his way to the front of the crowd.  He was the third type of zoran – neither sleek nor savage.  He wore a wrapped cream-coloured shirt which exposed some of his chest, and trousers that were mostly brown apart from their bottoms, which were beige.  They were made of some kind of silk, and embroidered with taffeta in the design of fields at the ankles, and tall trees entering into a sky at the thighs.  His robe was a simplistic cut; it went around his back and had a hole for each arm.  It was the colour of a dark blue sky, and Link noticed that the design on the trousers was continued on the robe, as the trees went into a sky, dotted with stars – and on the left breast, there was a silvery grey full moon.  Upon his head was a tall cap the colours of his robe and it too was dotted with stars.  Bangles of greened copper and aged brass clung around his arms, ankles and wrists, and jangled as he approached.

            "I am Qui-Parra-Sen," the zoran explained to him with a kindly smile.  "But 'Qui' will do.  I am a philosopher, and one of the king's personal servants."  The other zorans appeared impatient at Qui's leisurely pace, and desperately wanted to know more about the outside world that only Link could tell them about.  "Please tell me you name.  And you are not from Morëkotu, are you?  I can tell by your fair looks and the way you move," the philosopher asked, but halfway through his sentence his attention turned to Boleru.  Not for the first time, Link found that he was introducing himself.

            "I am Link of -" he paused as Qui-Parra-Sen's expression changed from friendliness to rapt horror.

            "Where did you get that?!"  He said, pointing to Link's new shield.

            "I took it from the water-demon that I have recently slain in battle."  The whole room fell silent.

            "…may I…see it?"  Link handed Qui-Parra-Sen the shield, and the zoran slid his hands over it in reverence.  Then, he turned to the other zorans and held it aloft.

            "Ukellion is dead!"  He proclaimed.  A cheer arose from every single zoran, and before Link knew what was happening, he had been placed on the shield to be carried around Eirou.  He was their hero.

            "And Gorogis said that the zorans would not readily accept us!"  Boleru giggled deliriously – this greeting had been more than he had ever hoped for.

            "Take him to the king!"  One zoran exclaimed.

            "Yes – we must take him to our king!"  Qui-Parra-Sen told the others, and the procession changed direction.  Link realised what this meant – was going to meet King Hudiael.  He was carried down ramps on the demon's crest, and came to a final public chamber.  A figure appeared from behind a large torch stand and, with one hand on his hip, he extended the other to the group.

            "Stop!"  He commanded.  The party did as it was told.  This new zoran had the more bold features of the three zoran types and like Qui, he was also robed, but although his clothes were made of the same material they had no embroidery.  He wore no bangles or cap either.  "_Who_ is _this_?"

            "This is Link!"  Qui told the new zoran.

            "And what is his purpose here?"

            "He has slain Ukellion!"  Another zoran exclaimed, and the demon's crest Link was sitting on was lifted by all to show the other zoran.  The zoran in front of them sneered.

            "I don't believe that _he_ could slay a demon!  But send him through to our king – he will want to see this newcomer."  The zoran turned and vanished through two large stone doors carved with steely-faced warrior guards with seaweed whipping around their feet.  Slowly, the zorans put the shield onto the ground and Link stood up.

            "You must go through the doors Link.  We must not follow you from here," Qui told him.  Link went to pick up the shield, but noticed the disappointed looks on their faces.

            "Will you hold this for me until I get back?"  He asked them.  He knew he would not need the shield whilst visiting the king.  Their faces lit up with joy.

            "Of course we will!"  The crowd picked up the demon's crest and scuttled off to brandish it to the rest of Eirou's population and celebrate.  Only Qui remained.

            "Yozou, the commander warrior you just met, is the king's protector.  He will make sure that nothing happens to you or our king.  I am sure we shall talk later.  Good luck!"  Qui-Parra-Sen bowed to them and left, leaving Link and Boleru alone.

            "We're going to meet the zoran king!"  Boleru whispered excitedly.  And they would finally learn the location of the Shield of Irishati.  Link made his way over to the two doors, and staring into the face of one of the stone guards, he used all of his strength to pull the door open.  They peered inside.  It was a large hall with a high ceiling, with material banners of royal reds and milky creams streaming down the walls.  The walls and pillars were lit with blue torch flames, and the silvery blue walls had more of the symbols scrolling along the walls.  A floor banner of the same red and cream as the wall coverings concealed most of the tiles, leading his gaze down the hallway, past three pairs of guards waiting at the sides of the hall in military fashion, past Yozou, waiting at the end of the hall with his arms folded impatiently… and up a dais to rest on a final set of stone doors, the same as the ones he had come through.

            "Take your time, boy!"  Yozou called to him.  "I'm sure that demons and kings will wait for _you_!"  Hearing this, Link trotted down the carpet and up to Yozou.  "Give me your sword," he demanded.  Link did as he was told.  "And your boomerang."  Link handed his other weapon over as well.  He was now completely unarmed.  "And I'll need to check your bags – to make sure you aren't concealing anything in them."  Link opened up his bag, and Yozou shuffled the contents around.  He was not interested in the food or water sealed in waterproof containers so that they would not be contaminated, nor was he interested in the rupees.  However, when he came upon the kestrel key, his face did appear shocked – he knew what it was.

            "G…go on through," Yozou stuttered whilst handing Link his bag back, and as the youth and the fairy went past him, Yozou could not help but stare in wonder after the boy.

~End of Chapter 15~

A/N:  Chapter fifteen and chapter sixteen were going to be joined together, but sadly, they were too long to be a single chapter.  Reading 2500+ words at a PC can be a tedious task – especially when most of it is description.


	16. A Meeting With the King

A/N:  I mentioned in a previous chapter somewhere that I was thinking of doing a History of Morëkotu Timeline for the events leading up to Link's appearance in the land.  I have decided to upload this as the last chapter of the fic, so that it won't contain any spoilers when you do reach it.

~Chapter 16~

Link's hand stretched to the handle of one of the second pairs of doors, but as he did so, they swung open themselves, and Link took a step back in surprise.  In front of him, he could see darkness, with only a faint light at the end.  No one said a word.  Boleru was first into the darkness, lighting the way ahead, and as Link was clear of the doors, they shut heavily behind him.  He felt that now, he could only go forwards.  He brushed his hand against the wall, tracing the markings with his fingers and using them as a guide to go around corners.  There was a twist in the corridor that led to the left, then one that led to the right, then the path snaked again until at last the fairy and the boy came to a final room – the chamber of the king.

The chamber was circular in shape, as it seemed, were all of the buildings in Eirou.  The dome above looked more transparent, and Link swore that he could see clouds in the sky.  This room differed from the ones that he had seen so far, because it had earthen colours instead of the pale blue walls.  A large hearth burned, illuminating the room and the many stacks of blackened brown bookcases surrounding either side of it.  The floor was laid with another strip of carpet, which did not cover all of the room's tiles.  In here, the symbols on the walls joined to make an endless ribbon.  Whatever meaning they held, Link would never know.  At the left far side of the room there was a large, king-size four-poster bed which matched the colour of the bookcases.  Before the fireplace was a large desk and high-backed chair, with seaweed designs running up and down the legs.  It was the same colour as the rest of the furniture.  Lamps hung from the ceiling and burned orange flames, casting shadows everywhere.  Above the fireplace, the most prominent feature of the room, was a big rectangular painting consisting of two zorans in robes.  Both were the slender type of zoran, and they appeared to be father and son.  The father was wearing the same kind of robes that Qui wore, only in red and cream – what Link guessed were the royal colours here.  His shirt was red, and it was his robes that were cream, and if the detail in the picture could be believed, they were embroidered with the design of a sea scene – mainly featuring seaweed – but in the centre of the shirt, Link could make out the shape of a kestrel and moon.  In his right hand, the father held a staff made of strange flowing shapes that Link could not make out.  The son stood directly in front of the father and held a staff in his left hand.  The staff was the same as his father's, albeit slightly smaller.  He wore different shades of blue, changing to deeper shades as they went further down the body.  The child looked exactly the same age as Link.  Both of the zorans had an aura of majesty and wisdom.

A voice stirred by the fire, and Link's attention was drawn towards it as it began to recite.

"Of snowy peaks and rivers clear,

Of glassy meadows golden green,

Of darkened nights that stars revere,

And golden kestrels seldom seen.

This land of ours where fairies dance,

This land is ours by bird and moon,

Where lives and fate are left to chance,

A demon came to seal our doom.

"In melancholy, pyres are lit,

For a ground and sky, long since dead,

Our world, our souls, we have forfeit,

Now moon and kestrel both have fled.

What curse is there upon this land?

What reckless demon casts it's hand!"

Link gazed at the small zoran boy's back as he faced the fireplace.  Gradually, the figure turned to face Link and he saw that the youth in front of them was the same one that was in the portrait; the only differences were that the boy was now wearing the red and cream and had aged a few years.

            "'Of Kestrel Moon', is the name of that particular sonnet," the young nobleman told him.  "It was Kealathen's wrath, two hundred years ago that heralded the dawn for those words.  And yet it still is pertinent today."

            "King… Hudiael?"  Link asked, sounding quite surprised.  It did not seem believable that the royal zoran in front of him would have been capable of ruling a decade or more ago.

            "No," the zoran replied, shaking his head and smiling weakly.  "King Hudiael was my father.  I am King Hikkaya."

            "Where is King Hudiael?  Did something… happen?"  A sadness passed over his face.

            "My father was-" the king paused, at a loss for words for the moment, and he had to look to the portrait to find what was needed.  "He was _taken_," he finished finally.  No more was said on the subject.  

"My people say that to come to our sanctuary you fought and defeated the demon Ukellion that imprisons us.  I cannot believe otherwise, for why would someone so young come to Eirou when another defeated our captor?  You would not have been able to evade Ukellion if he was still alive.  It seems strange that you should be our hero, but then again, why not, when _I can be a monarch of an entire people?"  He gestured at himself, with a grin.  "Tell me, were you sent by anyone?"  Link sifted through his pocket and pulled out the kestrel symbol.  He gave it to Hikkaya._

            "Ah!  The Kestrel Key!  It is the property of the gorons, if I am not mistaken.  How are our old allies – the gorons and the wild-men?  Are they still keeping up the fight?"  Link nodded.

            "They are doing as well as can be expected.  They sent me here to see what I can do, in the hopes that you can tell me where the Shield of Irishati is."

            "It is unfortunate that we cannot be of more assistance to our allies and our shared cause, but if we venture out into the polluted waters, we would swiftly perish.  Perhaps your appearance can change that, for indeed we do know where the Shield of Irishati is hid, but the passage to its location is blocked."

            "How did that happen?"  Boleru asked.

            "We were invaded innumerable times by the water demons that come from the Falion Sea up north.  After one incident, it was decided it would be wise to block off the passageway.  After the eruptions of Canmidris, the way has been blocked further.  You will need to remove the debris it of course, but the only way to do so is to use bomb flowers, and they only grow…"

            "…on Siredown Heath," Boleru finished off in a voice that was closer to a reverent whisper.

            "Exactly.  I am afraid you will have to back-track, but it should be significant to your quest in the end."  The conversation was interrupted by the sound of a nearby rumble which erupted into a cheer.  Music started up and celebrations began.  To the zorans, killing Ukellion was the first act to regaining their freedom.  "But tonight," King Hikkaya continued over the noise, "you can spend your time relaxing in the company of my people as our guest of honour.  Go to Commander Warrior Yozou; he should be able to brief you more thoroughly on our current situation and Philosopher Qui-Parra-Sen shall attend to your comforts for the duration of your stay."  Link and Boleru gave the king polite goodbyes and left his chamber.

                                                                       *

Fireworks erupted and turned the dome into a thousand glimmering shades of the same colours.  Reds, yellows, blues, purples, oranges and even greens illuminated their faces, followed by the sound of an explosion that the drummers refused to be drowned out by.  The spectators had formed a ring, with the fire dancers in the centre, using long poles with torches at either ends to light specific fireworks whilst their bodies swayed and moved to the music.  It was a _very_ precise form of art.  Link was at the very front of the ring, with Qui-Parra-Senn and Commander Warrior Yozou by his sides.  A small banquet had been laid at their feet, and Link made no attempt to disguise his hunger, and the hosts were pleased that he liked their food.  Boleru sat on Links shoulder, immersed in the pleasures of sound and light that bombarded his senses.

            "What happened to King Hudiael?"  Boleru asked dreamily to no one in particular, but the question was directed at the Qui and Yozou.  Commander Warrior Yozou tensed and his face wrinkled into something resembling anger.

            "I failed in my duties…" he croaked, barely being heard over the musicians' music.

            "What Yozou means is," Qui continued, "that during one of the attacks on Eirou over the years by the water demons of the north, the king was taken in an ambush.  Our present king was nearly abducted as well, but our warriors managed to save him.  To make sure that he was protected, we sealed the passage that leads to the north."

            "Why was it not done sooner?"  Link asked.  "And didn't you try to save King Hudiael?"

            "We did not seal the passage sooner because up north is our true home – Falion City of the Falion Sea.  A palace – with spires that erupt the water's surface and gleam in the morning mist!  And corridors that stretch for miles in a colour as pure as iridescent pearls!  The demons took it only months after Fuorresh was created.  It was always a hope that we would be able to reclaim it – and if we blocked the tunnel, it would sever that hope.  Blocking the tunnel was not an easy decision for any of us.  The waters in the Falion Sea are corrupt too – but not like the waters that lead to Morëkotu – those waters will only kill you.  The waters of the Falion Sea slowly paralyse, sapping the strength and turning you mad.  Very few venture into the waters of the Falion Sea and live.  Some went after our previous king in the hopes of rescuing him – and none returned.  Whatever has come to pass during the time since King Hudiael was taken, he is lost to us forever."

On that sobering note, they returned to the celebrations, but Boleru could not help but think about what was ahead of them – they would have to travel back south to reach Siredown Heath, where the ruins of Aldænde were strewn, and where lay the resting place of Merrowin.

~End of Chapter 16~


	17. In the Ruins

Chapter 16 Reviews:  (As you can tell by the lengths of the reviews, I'm in a very artistic mood today! :D [Or should that be…a rambling mood?])

Shampoo - *Ego expands*  Do not stroke the ego!  It is highly volatile! : )  But yes, thank you for the compliments!  I want to be a real life author (i.e. have my books on library shelves, not just the internet), goddammit I really do!  But it is a very difficult process – you need to convince an agent to take you on if you are going to convince a publisher that your books are worth printing.  And how do you convince an agent?  With your writing – sent off in large envelopes to be refused possibly countless times until you get lucky.  Until then, it costs a large amount of time of money – the former is sparse and latter I never seem to have. O.o  That turned into a bit of a rambling rant, didn't it?  Sorry about that – but for any other future authors, there's the brief glance at the process that you have to go through – one possibility anyway – there's always self-publishing, but that is not something I want to do – it would be too much like forcing myself onto a market that doesn't think I'm good enough.  And again, it takes time and money.  But I digress again.  As for your question, it was meant to be used more as an opener to Morëkotu, but who knows – perhaps he may see her again.

BMValkyrie – It seemed to me too that it was a much more relaxed chapter – which is good after all of the tension from the previous chapters.  I guess we need it more relaxed; otherwise, you would all get bored of the tension there all the while, yes? : )  Thanks for telling me about your story update – I'll be sure to take a look.  I'm sorry I haven't read or reviewed it yet – my life has been very busy these past few months.  But rest assured that sooner or later (probably later at this rate) I will get the time to 'read & review!' 

Chase, James and Johnny – It's good to hear that you like the poem!  The description in there is mainly to show how beautiful Morëkotu is, but when I was writing it, it did occur to me that some might see it as too much description – or maybe _many_ people who see it as too much description.  Friends have remarked before by how much detail I put into my writings – all have said that it borders on too much.  I have tried to cut down before on description length, but I can't seem to do so – apparently, my mind wants everyone who reads my work to see the worlds I create in as much vivid detail as I do.  *Shrugs* I guess it's just an in-built part of my style.

~Chapter 17~

Link emerged from the murky water, with Ukellion's crest – Link's new shield – on his right arm.  He had decided that once he was done with it, he would give it to King Hikkaya and his people as a gift.  And hopefully, whenever they looked upon it, they would remember him.  Strangely, Epona was waiting for him on the bank – either she had stayed because she was too scared to wander these lands alone at night, or because she knew that this place was safer than most now that the aqueous demon had been vanquished.  Being in the water caused Link's back to sting again, but he tried to pay it no attention, knowing that there was nothing he could do at that moment to stop the pain.  He got into Epona's saddle and took out the map of Morëkotu whilst Boleru settled on the top of Link's head.  By the early morning rays of light, he could see that they had to travel south, out of the valley and then west, away from the river and into Siredown Heath – a large area on the map.  On the very edge of the north eastern part of the heath was Aldænde.  Link was going to make sure they stopped there to take a look around; he wanted to see the place where Morëkotu's previous hero had spent his last days.  And perhaps it would give him some insight into his own future.

            "Where do I find bomb flowers?"  Link asked, tilting his head and eyes upwards in an attempt to look at the fairy.  Boleru leaned over his fringe and peered back at him.

            "I don't know, but there will be some there somewhere.  They used to be quite common in the days of my queen, but they seem to have become a rarity now…"    The ground rumbled strongly, nearly causing Epona to loose her balance.  Canmidris was making ready to erupt again.  Link thought upon his situation for a moment longer, before he spurred Epona into action.  He estimated that by mid-morning, they would reach Siredown Heath.

                                                                        *

After what felt like hours of traveling, they reached the top of a hill in grassland.  He could not tell what time of day it was, for as the landscape had changed, so had the weather.  Clouds had gathered in the sky, blocking his view of the sun and putting the land into a hazy grey light.  He scanned the horizon, searching for a landmark of some sort to tell them how close to the heath they were.

            "Link – look!  It's Jorose and the other wild-men!"  Link could see movement at a distance down below him, and strained his eyes to make out their faces.  It was Jorose, Olowren, Trent and Diolass and one or two others that he did not know.  Packard was not with them.  They slowed their pace when they saw him, but continued on their journey.  To them, it was obvious who he was, even though he was silhouetted against the dark sky; who else in this land had a fairy?  Link waved at them, but the only reaction he received from Jorose was a scowl.  They continued onwards, until they went over a ridge and vanished from sight.

            "Well, he was polite, wasn't he?"  Boleru muttered sourly.  "He didn't even ask if we needed any assistance, or if we defeated the water demon!"

            "Perhaps they were too busy," Link suggested, not wanting to dwell on the thought that they would purposely be so rude.  "It looked as though they were hunting demons.  Shall we continue on to Aldænde's remains?"  Under a blackening sky, they left the hill and carried on towards the heath.

                                                                        *

Link pulled in Epona's reins as he approached the ruins of Aldænde.  She stopped, and Link put his feet onto the ground.  The broken town lay scattered about his feet.  Moss and slime were growing up the walls, and wooden beams exposed to the weather were rotting and ready to break at any time.  And all this – had happened in a couple of _months_.  It looked as if Aldænde had been abandoned years ago.  The place looked haunted, but strangely… peaceful.  And it was disheartening to Link to think that the only place in this land that was at peace was the place where the most tragedy had happened: that the only peace did not belong to the living, but to the dead.

            "Do you think we will find any bomb flowers here?"  Link asked Boleru.

            "Perhaps… but let's try this place only as a last resort!  There's something not quite right about it, Link!"  But Link paid no attention to the fairy as he was being drawn deeper into the town.  "Link!  Don't leave me alone!"  Link gave no reply.  Boleru did not want to be left alone, but he did not want to go into Aldænde either.  And not for the first time, he found himself having to make a choice between two options that daunted him.  Within moments, his instincts had decided for him and he was by Link's shoulder.  Epona went to graze on the flowers and grasses of the heath, unaware of whatever was alarming Boleru.

Link continued to walk through the main street in a mesmerized state, whilst Boleru seemed far more aware of the surroundings and the weather.  Black clouds were billowing in the sky above, made even darker by the ash from the Canmidris volcano.  The winds were blowing strongly, flicking Link's hair about his face and moving dust across the town's flagstone floor.  It was going to rain soon, most probably torrentially.  Lightning struck.  Then something caught Boleru's eyes that brought him out of his thoughts – movement in a building.  Link had seen it too, and began to walk over to it, without raising his shield or sword.  Boleru went as far as the building's entrance with Link, but he would not go any further; yet Link would.

            "Link… Link!  Don't go in there!  Link!"  Boleru's voice became higher and the words were rushed together more as his voice betrayed his growing desperation.  The boy crept over the rubble in the doorway, and disappeared into the shadows. "Link!  Come back!"  Boleru flew after Link, and found the boy staring dazedly around his environment.  There was no one there – nothing to cause the movement that both of them had seen.  Perhaps the lightning had caused the shadows to move and that was what they had seen.  Between lightning flashes and Boleru's faint light, they could see shelves lining the walls, containing damaged items, or nothing but dust.  There was a large counter at the far side of the room, with rupees and pieces of paper scattered across its surface.  Outside, the wind died down and first drops of rain could be heard: the end-of-summer storms were upon them.

            "What is this place?"  Link asked, finally showing some signs that he was capable of conscious thought since they had approached Aldænde.

            "It's a shop!"  Link moved over to the shelves and started to sift through the items.  After a minute or so he picked up a dark item that appeared to be some kind of pot.  There were some short, triangular leafs on top, that were worn and damaged by neglect and improper storage since Aldænde was besieged.  "That was once a flower bomb," the fairy told him.  "But it is of no use now."  The ground shook, and Canmidris erupted once more.  The beams above their heads began to collapse, and the two crawled over the rubble and out of the doorway just before the building collapsed.  The ground continued to tremble and Aldænde began to collapse around them.  They ran through the streets, a gale blowing behind them, chasing them away from the town as ash mixed with rainwater began to pour down and soak Link's clothes.  Epona hated the situation as much as they did, and Link had trouble mounting her as she tried to dash away.  Hearts pounding, the trio raced away from Aldænde, away from the renounced buildings and the tormenting, lamenting wind.

~End of Chapter 17~


	18. The Ghost of a Chance

~Chapter 18~

The summer storm had only been happening for the past five minutes, but already it seemed to have reached its zenith – surely the winds could not blow any fiercer, or the rain pour down any harder? Surrounded by this weather, it felt as though they were travelling around in circles. Link had managed to find a cloak among the small treasures the wild-men had given him, but although it had kept him warm and dry to begin with, the rain had now soaked it – flying at him from every angle – and now it seemed all but useless. Boleru had taken shelter in the hood, where he shared Link's warmth and kept his wings mostly dry. From here, he could see where they were going… if 'seeing' is how the experience could be described. A thick, misty haze had settled about the heath, and neither of them could tell in what direction they were going – or if indeed they were going around in circles. Boleru chuckled.

"If this storm continues like this for much longer, that Zoran's Pearl will become very useful again!" He said rather happily. Link smiled back, but the mood of Siredown Heath had temporarily devoured his mind, preventing him from truly appreciating the warmth in the little joke. Although the haze seemed to engulf everything in sight, something ahead of them stood out on the heath: a large, ominous black shape. Link slowed Epona's pace to a canter.

"Oh no…" Boleru said sadly to himself. As they approached closer, the shape grew in size, and the mists seemed to recede, as if avoiding the structure. They halted.

The Structure was made of black marble, inlaid with white carvings of thin and intricate Celtic markings. It was a rectangular structure that went into the ground, with some steps leading down to what appeared to be a door. The large slab of marble that made the roof of the structure extended over the stairway, providing cover. It was also the ground for the feet of a white angel statue, holding a staff which Link guessed was pointing to Aldænde. For some reason, it reminded Link of Lady Cathela. The extended part was held up by unyielding pillars, which were also scattered about the area, forming a symmetric patter on either side of the building. All of it was new.

"It's the tomb of Merrowin," Boleru murmured reverently. Link put his feet onto the ground and tried to approach the doorway, but realised that the stairway was flooded from rainwater that must have been from the past week or two. He peered at the doorway; there was an engraving of Morëkotu on the door. There was a bird flying through the sky above the Canmidris Volcano and mountain range. Below that were the fields and the Diagrell woods, looking friendlier than Link remembered them to be. Further below that, there was a river, with fish in it, before the flood water enveloped the rest. All peoples – the wild-men, gorons and zorans were represented in this one image. He looked harder, and he could make out a familiar shape – Morëkotu's kestrel and moon in the middle of the door in white, with the mountain engraving running through it. There were words engraved in the centre as well – an epitaph perhaps – but he could not make the words out from here.

"Merrowin… he was greatly loved, wasn't he?" Link asked Boleru. Boleru was silent for a long while, trying to recall memories over ten years old.

"Even when he was young, Merrowin roamed the land doing knightly deeds, as Sir Jerusinus and the knights of Valarkinnen had taught him to do," he replied. "Yes… he was greatly loved by many. The two of you share some very common traits – it is probably one of the reasons Jorose is not too keen on you." Link looked back towards the door inscription, and decided that he would walk over to it. He took off his boots and cloak and put them in what appeared to be the driest place. Shivering, he waded through the water, and placed a hand next to what was indeed an epitaph:

Here Lies Merrowin of Kelklæ

The Hero Knight of Morëkotu

May He Live On Forever In Our Hearts

The Guard Knows Songs

To Open Doors

Though He Is Gone His Memory Lives On

Written Down In Musical Scores

"It's a riddle!" Link muttered to himself. He stared at it for a while, knowing that it had something to do with a song. Boleru flew over and joined him. He read the words, and flew up and down excitedly in the air; he had always been good at guessing riddles, and he had managed to work this one out.

"You know, another word for a guard is a sentinel," Boleru told him, hinting at what must be done. Link continued in thought for a little while longer.

"Oh – The Sentinel's Song!" Link thought about the song he had learned in Queen Irishati's Palace. He had known that it would help him on his quest, but he did not know how… until now. Link put his ocarina to his lips and began to play, unsure of what this song would do once its magic had been released. He finished the song, and put his ocarina back into his pocket. He waited in the water. Nothing happened.

"Link!" Boleru cried out, staring at something behind him. Link swerved around – and locked eyes with another man. He was standing on the ground above the stairway, next to one of the pillars. The figure wore blue armour, chequered on the right breast and left leg with white. It was different from the armour Sir Jerusinus wore, because the main body was blue, and the cheques were on the opposite sides. He carried a lance in his right hand, the same as the knight back in Castle Valarkinnen had carried. But Link was most entranced by this person's features; a slightly tanned, handsome face stared at him with eyes that were a misty blue crystal. His hair was white, but as it blew in the wind, whatever light there was caught it and revealed its fiery red tones. The mists sailed through the knight's semi-transparent body, exposing him for what he was. The apparition needed no introduction – Link knew who he was.

As the two souls delved into one another, both could tell that they were so very alike. Both heroes could tell that behind their eyes, many battles had been fought and won. At last, the judgement came to an end, and the ghost extended his free hand towards the door. Link felt the water draining from around his legs, and when he turned to look at the tomb's doorway, it had begun to open up. He looked back to the knight – but he was gone. The wind picked up speed, blowing to and fro, almost knocking Link off of his feet. With great effort, Link managed to push himself forwards, into the crypt.

Inside, torches hidden in little niches in the walls sprung alight at his presence, as if they were magical. Perhaps they were. Large, wide pillars separated what would have otherwise been a broad hallway into smaller chambers. Flourishing bomb flowers lined these areas – more bomb flowers than Link would ever need. He stopped after taking only a few steps into the tomb, and watched the flood water as it gushed down the shallow stairs… to surround a sepulchre. The triforce mark on his hand began to glow. His head light from heavy emotions, Link drifted down the stairs, each footstep echoing heavily on the stone floor. The scratch on Link's back began to ache now more than it ever had before, and it increased with every step he took. Boleru followed him in silence, knowing that something important was about to take place. They halted within hand's reach of the foreboding sarcophagus. Upon it was an engraving of a helmeted knight, his hands holding a sword that stopped just before his feet. The sword was engraved with flowing patterns – but they weren't Celtic – they were from a culture that Link had not yet encountered. The ghost appeared on the other side of the tomb. He held a lance in one hand, and his helmet in the other.

"I am Link," he told the phantom, his head still in a state of slight delirium.

"…and I am Boleru," the fairy said shakily. The spirit of Merrowin stared at them both a moment longer. He pointed to the tomb with his lance hand.

"Open it," he commanded softly. Link rested his hands on the tomb, looking at in reverence. He shook his head and glanced towards the knight. Merrowin nodded. Link used all of his effort to try to move the lid, and after a moment or so, it relented, allowing the torch light to reveal the feet of the body inside. He pushed the lid further from the tomb, until it teetered on the ledge of the crypt, then fell onto the floor. The noise sounded final, and Link thought that he had broken it, but he was too busy staring at the body to notice that it had, by chance, managed to stay fully intact.

The cold, calm body of Merrowin was a mirrored splendour of the apparition that stood in front of them. His skin and lips had taken on a blue tinge, but apart from that, being sealed away had preserved his body over the months since his death. The more opaque form in the tomb was wearing the same armour as the spirit, with the lance gripped in both hands. It spanned the length of the tomb, from head to foot. Resting by the side of the hero's corpse was his helmet. He could not understand what Merrowin was trying to show him; the armour and lance was too big for him, and there was nothing else lining the coffin. "Touch the armour," Merrowin's ghost told him. Link cautiously extended his hand… and touched the armour. It became transparent, until it disappeared altogether. He looked around, waiting for it to reappear. It did reappear – on him. It had changed to fit his size – armour, helmet _and_ lance. And it had taken on an ethereal glow – moving from almost transparent to fully opaque. The ghost seemed relieved. "This is my gift to you. May my armour serve you well in your battles to come as it did in my battles that have passed," Merrowin whispered.

"…Thank you," Boleru and Link replied together. There was nothing left for any of them to say. Link turned to collect a bomb flower and leave.

"Link!" The living hero turned back to look at the dead one. The tomb's lid had somehow been put back into place. "Heal Harakow!" He called out desperately, and then faded back into nonentity. The lights faded, until Boleru was the brightest illumination in the tomb. As Link worked his way back up the steps, he remembered to pick up some bomb flowers, and tried to forget that if he was unsuccessful, he would join the failed hero with a tomb of his own.

~End of Chapter 18~

A/N: Anyone else sensing the possibility of a sequel? : )


	19. Passageway Panic

Chapter 18 Reviews:

Firgof – It's good to know that you're still active!  Don't worry about not visiting my account in so long.  To be honest, I don't have the chance to comment on other peoples' most of the time – even if I do have the time to stop by to have a look.  And I'll try to take a look at your account sometime soon.  Histories can be quite difficult to form and perfect – especially if you're making them up as you go along.  Tolkien _was_ insane.  All geniuses are.  That's not to say that all insane people are geniuses though.  *Giggles maniacally*

Navi* Star* - Good to hear that you like it and that the emotions are really getting across!  I think I did mention Ukellion going up in flames… *Shrugs* Ah, well – if I haven't, that's the one chapter I'm going to go back and edit once inspiration picks up for it again. : )

~Chapter 19~

The water splashed off of Merrowin's ghost-armour, giving Link the protection from the storm that he needed.  Boleru sat on Link's arm, under 'the Shield of Ukellion' to prevent the rain from touching him.  Epona was taking them back towards Eirou, where the bomb flowers would give them access to the passage to Falion Sea.  After that, Link had decided they would swim to Falion city, which was most likely the location of the Shield of Irishati, as far as he knew.

            "After I defeat Sir Jerusinus and Jorose, will King Berelorn return to life from stone?"  Link asked.

            "No.  Once fully turned to stone, he is stone forever – not even returning this land to normal can save King Berelorn," the fairy replied over the wind and pattering rain.

            "Did the king have any heirs?"

            "No."

            "Then, who will take the king's place and rule Morëkotu?"  Link did not want to think that after he rid the land of their demon problem, they would descend into civil war for a throne.

            "The 'White Knight' is the next to inherit Morëkotu's kingdom.  Chosen by the ruling monarch, if the royal family had no relations to continue their line, then the White Knight would ensure Morëkotu's future.  It is a tradition that dates back to the beginning of Morëkotu's royalty.  And so far, it has never been used."

            "Who was the white knight when King Berelorn was turned to stone?"  Boleru was quiet.

            "…I think it was Sir Jerusinus."  The rest of the journey back was spent in silence.

The river waterways to Eirou were particularly turbulent due to the extra water the rain was providing, and Link found himself battling a current for most of the way back.  When he emerged in Eirou, he found a retinue waiting for him, who seemed more than surprised by his new armour.  He stepped out of the pool and produced a bomb flower from his bag, getting ready to use it.  The zorans cheered – they had not seen a bomb flower in years, and the small boy was continually meeting their expectations for a hero.

            "Excuse me, but where is the passageway to the Falion Sea?"  He asked one of the normal-looking zorans.  She took him gently by the hand and led him to a gawping, jaw-shaped tunnel.  It was filled with green, slimy water that tainted the pure stone all of the way around it.  Link could not believe that the zorans had let the water stagnate like this… but if he did not believe that, then he had to accept that all of the water in the Falion Sea was this polluted.  Link admitted to himself that he had not thought that the passageway would be filled with water; he had thought that it would be drained and he could easily light the bomb flower to open it up again.  The water – if that was what it could be called – complicated things.  He turned to the zoran that had led him here.  "Pardon me, ma'am, but do you know how I can light this bomb flower under water?"

            "You need the zoran's fire!"  A familiar voice called out.  The crowd moved aside to make a pathway for Commander Warrior Yozou and two of his guards.  He offered Link some small, spherical balls no larger than beads.  "When you are underwater, crush one between your fingers and it will set alight.  Do not worry; it will not burn you.  Try searching for the Shield of Irishati in Falion City's main hallway or royalty chambers.  Other than that, I have no other information or directions to give you."

            "Thank you," Link replied.  With the crowd and the commander warrior watching, Link took his first step into the water.  He stopped rigidly as a shiver ran all the way up his back.  He was beginning to believe what the zoran's said about the Falion Sea – that it's demon-tainted waters turned you mad.  He took another step and began to feel ill, yet he continued to go in.  He waded up to his waist and let out a maddening laugh without even meaning to.

            "Are you okay, Link?"  Boleru asked whilst the boy groaned.  The water was seeping into his back-wound, causing the most severe pain that Link had ever felt before in his life.

"Let's get this over and done with as soon as possible," he gasped, refraining from voicing his pain in front of the awed crowd.

"Be careful, boy!"  Yozou called out after him, and then Link dived under and disappeared from sight.

Link was rather pleasantly surprised to discover that he could see quite a distance through the green water.  In some areas it was thicker than others, and Link and Boleru tended to avoid these places.  They only had to swim a couple of paces before they found the blockage: piles upon piles of boulders and stones.  Link set the bomb down at the bottom of the pile before crushing one of the powdery balls in his fingers like Yozou had told him to do.  It burst into a brilliant blue fire, lighting up the tunnel walls that surrounded him.  Link put it near the fuse before it went out.  The fire caught the fuse, and it began to burn.  Now all he had to do was get out in time.  He pushed against the boulders with his feet to propel him out of the tunnel – but the armour caught on some plants in the rocks. 

"Link?  Hurry Link!"  His fairy cried worriedly. Link struggled to free himself, knowing that if the bomb went off with him this close, it could do him some serious damage.  He forcefully pulled himself away from the rock, and turned in time to watch the flower bomb fuse disappear.  The bomb went off.

The watery explosion sounded foreign to his ears, and he had just enough time to see the boulders fly out from their resting place before previously undisturbed dirt  threw itself about, clouding the water, and Link's sight.  Boulders smashed against his armour and pushed down on top of him.  He gasped and nearly swallowed a mouthful of the contaminated water – and very nearly the Zoran's Pearl.  The boulders and stones began to settle, and Link began to gather his wits about him once more.  "Link?  Where are you, Link!"  Boleru called out to him.  The boy freed himself from where he had been trapped.  After a moment of searching around, the two found each other in the murk.  "There you are!  Thank goodness you're safe!"  Link felt the water around them stir.  Boleru felt it too.  "Something's not right…we need to get back to Eirou – quickly!"  Link placed his hand along the wall and began to search for the band of patterns that adorned every one of Eirou's walls.  He found it, and followed it until he felt the patterns becoming more defined; it was leading him back to the still waters of the zoran's sanctuary.

The hero-child emerged from the pool covered in a film of ghastly green scum.  It clung to his hair and prevented him from seeing anything in front of his face – but he could hear perfectly well.  He could hear the distressed, mournful moans of Eirou's people, and the sounds of battle somewhere nearby.

"Oh my… what have we done?"  Boleru whispered fearfully.  Link removed the ghostly helmet and wiped at his eyes.  When he looked up, he saw the wounded and dead of the zoran people, whilst warriors still battled against black, lizard-like amphibians, with blue-glowing veins.  Demons!  Commander Warrior Yozou battled on in the background, quelling the last of the intruders.

"To me!"  Yozou called out to his fighters.  "Protect      Eirou!  Protect the people!  For the kestrel and moon!"  Link turned and watched as Qui-Parra-Sen ran towards him, his face betraying his horrified feelings.

"Link!  They've taken King Hikkaya!  The demons have stolen our king!"

~End of Chapter 19~


	20. The Lost Unforgotten City

Chapter 19 Reviews:

Navi* Star* - And more to come!  *Sigh!* So many cliff-hangers, so little time! XD

A/N:  I'm coming closer to the end of the fic, and to make sure that the mood of some scenes isn't spoilt at the end by author's notes, I am going to reduce their amount or omit them completely from now on; I know I wouldn't like it if an author had written a seriously angsty scene and then wrote author's notes that broke the mood – even he/she wasn't trying to do so.

~Chapter 20~

'_Link felt the water around them stir._'  The boy hero remembered the feeling of something passing him by back in the passageway.

            "Hikkaya!"  Link dived back into the water, with Boleru following immediately after him.  The attack had only taken place in a couple of minutes; they could not have gotten very far.  He swam along the tunnel and stopped at the very end.  In front of him was the vast Falion Sea: dark, yet the silhouettes managed to be even darker.  Seaweed covered the floor of the underwater canyon, hiding more than just the sea's floor in its ever-swaying reeds.  Moonlight barely penetrated the surface of the water, but instead gave the water just below the surface an eerie glow.  In the distance, he could make out shapes moving, swimming away.  One of them could have been the king.  He swam after them, nowhere near as fast as the speed that they could travel at, and Link knew that he was going to lose sight of his quarry.  The water below him shifted, revealing three aqueous demons.  Link readied the lance; it was time to discover how great a weapon the hero knight had given him.

The first charged straight at him, claws outstretched towards his throat.  Link spun around and around, confusing the attackers before he somersaulted in the water whilst the first enemy missed him entirely.  As it turned back around to face him, Link slashed the lance across the demon's chest.  The fairy and boy watched as the demon seemed to stagger backwards through the water, howling a silent scream before bursting into blue flames and vanishing entirely._  …This weapon… did that?_  The wound that Link had inflicted had not been deep enough itself to kill his foe.  Perhaps the weapon was holy.  The other demons were undeterred and began to circle him, swimming sideways so that they could defend and attack more easily.  Link dived down through the water, into the seaweed.  Boleru stayed close to his shoulder as he swam through the plants, hoping that he could avoid battle if they could not spot him.

            "Where are we going?"  Boleru whispered, before he realised that Link was unable to reply.  "Are we going to Falion City?"  Link nodded.  They continued swimming without any interruptions, until they stopped halfway between the underwater city and the tunnel that led back to Eirou.  Falion City shimmered dully in the water, ruined towers and holes in the walls showed the damage the demons had let loose upon it.  In fact, Link thought that the damage had been from a siege, years before, and the repairs had never been made.  He could understand what Qui-Parra-Sen had told him about the glories that the city had once been; some of that splendour still remained.  He hoped that one day, the zorans would be able to rekindle it.

            "Behind you!"  Boleru cried out.  Link spun around in the water in time to see one of the aqueous demons collide with his armour in an attempt to disorientate him before finishing him off.  Link was knocked against the rocky sea floor and let go of the lance, but most of the damage that could have been done to him was taken by the armour.  The creature slashed at him, but the claws did not penetrate his breastplate.  Merrowin had given him a great gift indeed.  Link's hand reached for the lance.  He struck out at the demon and missed – this one was much more agile than the previous attacker.  It backed away, before turning to flee.  Link swam after it – following it into the ruins of Falion City.

The demon could not be found.  Its agile form had slipped out of sight – possibly through one of the cracks in the walls that Link would have trouble fitting through, small though he was.

            "Where are we going?"  Boleru asked him.  Link did not know.  He stopped for a moment and touched his head; it had begun to ache slightly – perhaps the water was affecting him, like the zorans had warned him it would.  He continued onward, through now-greyed halls that had not seen proper care in quite some time.  He placed his hand against the wall and pulled it away.  His palm was now as dirty as the surface he had put it against, but the wall now had a single hand-print, revealing the true iridescent colours that the architects had wanted to be seen.  _Like pearls,_ Link thought to himself.

Suddenly Link was thrust back through the water and the hallways twisted and turned around him.  "It's the demon!  It's the demon!"  Boleru shouted, flitting out of the way of the fight.  Link looked down at his body, and realised the demon had grabbed him from behind, twisting his arms so that he could not shake the creature off.  Twisting and turning, Link tried to damage any part of its body with the lance.  The lance was too long; he could not stab at it.  And then panic struck in as a cold, thin bony hand moved up to the gap between the chest-plate and helmet and secured itself around his throat – one of the only weak places in the armour.  He began to choke, and the Zoran's Pearl fell from his mouth onto the floor below.

Link began to panic, striking out everywhere with the lance, but doing no damage.  Whether the demon robbed him of his life first, or whether the water would drown him, either way Link was close to death.  With one final effort, the boy threw both himself and the demon back into a wall.  By chance, the impact was enough to make the demon let go, and Link managed to pull himself away and swing the lance around.  It impaled the demon in its heart, fear gripping the fiend's face before he burst into blue flames.  Link started to choke.

            "The Zoran's Pearl!  Where is it?  Where is it!"  Boleru flew around the floor frantically, searching for the item along with Link.  They could not find it.  Link began to struggle and convulse in the water as his lungs gasped for breath.  Then, Boleru spotted something glimmer in his light.  "Link!  I've found it!  It's here!"  The boy struggled over to where Boleru was, and snatched the Zoran's Pearl from the bottom of the floor.  As soon as it was back in his mouth, he shuddered with relief.  It had been too close for comfort, and his heart pounding in his ears did nothing for his headache.  The world around him seemed to move about sickeningly, but he was not going to give up on King Hikkaya so easily.  They turned into the main corridor, and noticed two large doors – one at either end of the hallway.  Link chose to go right.  As he approached, the throbbing became more and more intense.  The world pounded around him whilst he opened the seaweed-engraved doors, and swam inside.  The old hallway was filled with broken hollow pillars and tapestries damaged by demons' claws.  Yet in the middle of the room was an untouched, large elaborate chest in faint yellow and strong blues.  "Could this be…the Shield of Irishati?"  The zorans had said that the passageway that led to the shield had been blocked, and that they knew where it was.  Perhaps this _was_ it.  He approached the chest, unable to ignore his headache no matter how hard he tried.  The chest was engraved with the symbol of the kestrel and moon, and there was no mistaking the shield shape embossed into the lid.  Link placed his hands on the box, and lifted it up.  He was surprised to find that it was unlocked.  He closed his eyes, throwing the chest-lid back fully, imagining what it would look like.  He opened them and looked.  The chest was empty.

Something inside of him changed.  Link thrust himself upwards through the water, convulsing and kicking and grabbing his head and shaking it in pain.

            "Link?  What's wrong?  Link!  Please!  What's wrong?"  Link stopped abruptly, dangling limply in the water.  His mouth was slightly open, and his eyes had rolled upwards.  He was conscious, but there was no sign of movement from him.  A black bump protruded out of either side of Link's head; two in total.  Boleru did not understand what was going on.  "Link – _please_! _Answer me_!"  …There was no response.

The fairy fled.

~End of Chapter 20~


	21. A New Demon

A/N: Please note that fanfiction.net does not seem to want to let me use stars at all - even if they are to indicate a scene change. Unless I find a way to fix this problem, scene changes are now indicated with: '.........'

Chapter 20 Reviews:

NaviStar - Arrg! This chapter took _forever_ to come out – but it's quite long anyway, which I hope makes up for any lateness.

Chapter 21

Boleru flew through the ancient city, through the fields of underwater reeds, across the open space where all manner of demons could see him, and back through the tunnel to Eirou: back to the zoran's sanctuary. He shot out of the polluted water, before finally stopping in mid air.

"Help me! Someone _please_ help me!" He cried. A sturdy zoran sitting by the pool, waiting for their return was the first to hear his pleas, and ran into the crowd to get the others. "Please – someone listen to me!" Boleru began flying up and down over the pool frantically, knowing it would not be long before the demons found Link. The carnage in Eirou was still evident: the bodies of friend and foe alike were still being taken away, and the wounded lay about, waiting to be healed. Commander Warrior Yozou had his soldiers gathered around him to give them a speech. When the warrior-built zoran reached his side, he urgently tugged at his clothes and pointed to Boleru. Yozou stopped mid-sentence and searched for Link before running over with a worried expression on his face. A crowd of zorans had gatherd around the pool with him.

"Where is Link?" Yozou asked him. "What has happened? Tell me!" Qui-Parra-Sen had begun to make his way to the front. He had a satchel full of medical items resting by his side. He too appeared distressed by Link's absence.

"Something's happened!" Boleru shouted hysterically. "He was alright the one minute, and then the next – please! Go and help him!" The reply was silence. Boleru looked from one zoran to another frantically. "You will do nothing for him? After all he is trying to do for you, you will do _nothing_ for him!?" Commander Warrior Yozou turned away, shaking his head. "No!" Boleru wailed. "Don't leave him down there!"

The philosopher sighed, and stepped forward.

"To think that we have come to this…" He began to remove his clothing, until all but the bangles and bracelets and the satchel had been removed. The others gasped in disbelief, knowing that he was going to risk his life and his sanity. Then, Yozou spoke once more. "Captain Warrior Andran… bring me my long-sword." The captain did as he was told, and Yozou too began to strip off his clothes. "How far did Link get?"

"Falion City," the fairy replied hurriedly. The captain returned with a sword that could only be held with two hands, and offered it to Yozou. The blade was engraved lightly near the hilt with images of stormy waves.

"Commander, sir… what if you… do not _return_?" The captain asked reverently. Boleru was growing impatient. Yozou looked at the pool that led out to the Falion Sea. Qui had already waded halfway in. He stepped into the water himself.

"We _shall_ return…" And with those last words, all three were gone.

Boleru was their only light, and had already begun to race ahead. The two zorans tried to keep up, but their efforts were laboured, and they seemed slightly disoriented. As they left the safety of the tunnel, Boleru turned around in time to see a demon fly out of nowhere – and attack Qui-Parra-Sen. The demon raked his claws across the top of his arm, spilling blood into the water. He backed down the tunnel as Yozou sped forwards, grabbing the demon by the leg so that it could not escape. He aimed the sword at its heart, and despatched it quickly. Without watching it burst into blue flames, Yozou turned to Qui-Parra-Sen to check if he was okay. The philosopher seemed almost paralysed in the water, his back arched to the water's surface.

"Qui! _Qui_! Snap _out_ of it!" Commander Warrior shouted at him, shaking the philosopher violently. Qui shuddered, but returned to reality… now if only they could do the same to Link. The philosopher healed himself with some of the potions in his bag, and they continued their mission. Boleru sped forwards once more.

They managed to get to the edge of Falion Sea without any more attacks. "This way!" Boleru called. "Through this orifice!" He turned to look at the two zorans – and saw them staring around dazedly… Yozou did not even have his sword ready._ Is this the beginning of the madness of __Falion__Sea__?_ Boleru thought to himself worriedly. Had he doomed two more by trying to save his companion? He flew over to the warrior zoran. "Hey! Help me! We must get Link and get out of here!" His words seemed to remind the zoran of his purpose, and grabbing Qui's arm, they swam into Falion City. The two zorans seemed amazed.

"So this is what our wondrous city has become?" Qui whispered reverently. Two demons appeared in the hallway in front of them. They looked straight at the zoran and raced through the water. "Yozou…Yozou!" Qui hissed. He turned and found that the commander warrior had swam back out of the city. "Yozou!" Qui cried as the demons seized hold of him. There was no reply. "Yozou!" Qui and Boleru screamed at the same time. The commander warrior moved back through the hole and gaped at the scene in front of him. For a while, Boleru thought that the zoran had forgotten what his sword was for, and what his purpose was. Boleru turned away, unable to watch any more and sobbed to himself. Link was only a few metres away, and yet the zorans could not help him – _he_ could not help him! He had tried so hard, but in the end he was useless. Useless…

A finger brushed down the fairy's body. When he turned around, the demons were gone, and Qui was putting away the medicines again. He did not know what had taken place… but he was relieved.

"Shall we continue?" Yozou asked.

The hallway doors had almost fully closed since Boleru had left Link alone. Yozou forced the doors open again whilst Qui-Parra-Sen kept watch. They looked inside… and Link was still there. Three demons were circling him.

"Get away from him, vile creatures!" Warrior Commander Yozou raged, raising his sword for battle. Two of the demons came forward, whilst one grabbed Link and began to tug him further away. Yozou began to clash with the aqueous demons, whilst Qui went to rescue Link. Boleru flitted between the two parties whilst the chaos ensued. Yozou fought between the two monsters, avoiding their claws whilst never fully managing to do them detrimental damage. Qui was forcefully holding on to Link's legs, and the demon onto his arms, whilst the child's eyes lolled about the room.

"Be careful with him! The Zoran's Pearl! Make sure that he does not swallow the Zoran's Pearl!" Boleru warned Qui… but the zoran seemed to take little notice of the fairy. A watery scream was heard behind them, and Boleru abruptly turned to see a demon burst into blue flames. Through a cloud of mixed blood, the fairy could see that Yozou had dropped the sword and turned to watch Qui and the demon fight over Link – even though there was another enemy left! "Yozou! Behind you – the other demon!" Boleru called out. The demon saw that something was wrong with the zorans, and latched his claws around the commander warrior's neck. Yozou was slow to react, but when he did he fought with all of his vigour. "Get him!" Boleru shouted to Yozou. "Dispatch the demon! We _must_ save Link!" Yozou swung the demon from his neck and into a broken pillar. Grabbing his sword, he finished it off, and whilst it burst into blue flames, he turned to look at the last remaining demon. The monster realised that it could not win alone. Releasing Link to Qui, it fled from the room. Yozou watched it go, before abruptly he began to spasm uncontrollably.

"Here – take this!" Qui-Parra-Sen told him, giving him a potion to heal his wounds. Boleru noticed something – when the zoran's blood was exposed to the water, they seemed to be affected by it more.

They swam over to Link. Qui checked that the Zoran's Pearl was still in his mouth, and miraculously, it had managed to stay in all of this time. They looked at his head. The two black bumps had grown out further since he had been absent. They were _horns_!

"…How did these come to be?" Qui asked, a shiver running down his spine. Yozou shook his head.

"Examine him once we are safe… the demon will return soon, and he will have allies," Commander Warrior Yozou told him. With sword in his right hand, Yozou put Link over his shoulder and, holding onto his legs to keep him secure, they began to leave the hallowed city.

They got as far as the hallway door before they stopped abruptly. The two zorans seemed mesmerised, staring ahead of themselves, looking at the other large, solid door on the other end of the hallway. There was something behind it… but now was not the time to find out.

"…Let's get out of here," Boleru demanded. He started turning down into the side hallway, but he was not followed. "Come on!" He called back to them. Finally, they came. They came nearer and nearer to the hole that led back out into the Falion Sea. As they approached, Link unconsciously let out a shudder, which Yozou could not ignore. He stopped.

"Something's wrong," he stated, looking about him for trouble.

"That demon should have gotten help by now," Qui agreed. The commander warrior looked out into the sea.

"When I say go," he whispered commandingly, "_go_. And don't stop until you are back in Eirou." Qui nodded gravely, and looked out into the dark abyss that could hide many dangers. Boleru thought that this was more of the sea's madness – Yozou was rushing out _into_ the danger, not avoiding it. "Now!" Yozou shouted, and Qui and himself swam forwards at lightning speed.

"Wait!" Boleru cried, rushing out slightly and stopping. Demons swam over his head, and he turned to see what must have been fifty still clinging to the broken city's wall. "No! Go on! Go on!" He shouted to them, though they had not stopped. He flew after them, overtaking many of the demons and managing to catch up with the zorans. He noticed that the demons were gaining. One snatched at Qui and tore off his satchel, but the philosopher managed to escape unharmed. They swooped and struck out at each and every angle, and the zorans threw Link between the two of them so that the demons could not get to him. Somehow, the zorans managed to increase their speed, and Link was passed back to Yozou. All of a sudden, Yozou stopped and turned to face the enemy, sword raised, and rage evident on his face. _This_ was the madness!

"Yozou stop it! You cannot defeat them! Come on! Come on!" Boleru yelled, flitting up and down in front of his face. Yozou began to back away slightly, but he was still facing them. They would reach him at any second. "Think about Link!" Finally, Yozou saw sense and fled, but now the demons were back on his heels. They could see the tunnel ahead of them, and Qui was waiting by the entrance for their presence. A demon's claw grabbed out and scratched Yozou's ankle, drawing blood. With one last burst of speed, the commander warrior thrust himself forwards, out of the range of any more claws and into the mouth of the tunnel. He stopped, and began convulsing. Qui turned and grabbed his arm, the demons only inches behind. Without the healing potions, his only option was to drag him. "Hurry!" Boleru shouted, urging him on. "We're almost there! We're almost there!" They could see the steps leading into the sanctuary. They were nearly there…

The zorans emerged from the water, stumbling about, to the edge of the pool. Boleru made his way clear, and stared at the sight before him: hundreds of zoran soldiers – archers, swordsmen, pike men… all waiting for their return. The demons emerged only seconds later. A barrage of arrows was released, and the two zorans, carrying Link between them, collapsed to their knees. The swordsmen and pike men charged at the demons, finishing them off. It was finally over. Commander Warrior Yozou lurched forward and fell on his face.

"Medic!" Qui cried. "I need a medic!"

Boleru rested on a wall whilst the zorans took care of the rest. He felt exhausted but completed – he had finally proven his worth to Link. He had finally proven his worth to _himself_.

.........

There was darkness… and voices. Far away.

"…needs …rest."

"What……things………of…head?"

He knew them. They knew him. He had to go to them.

"Horns."

"I know………they…from?"

Slowly, it was becoming more clear.

"Boleru…" Boleru! He knew a Boleru! "Told…all…knows."

"Can…explain this……Qui?"

"I'll try. The demons…Diagrell woods…scratched……and left……their own skin or…… the wound. When …… attacked … Ukellion … spat poisons …… same wound, somehow knowing … what had …… before. Link is … changing, Yozou! He … changing …… demon!"

"How long?"

"I … not know… …… depends upon … boy's strength."

"Is … any way … reverse …"

"No. Like all …… demon touches, his life … tied to the land now. Only … healing … land will he heal himself." The voices left.

He remained in the darkness for a timeless age. Then he realised that he would have to leave it. The world he had once known began to take shape around him, slowly but surely. It was dark. Good; he liked the dark. The first thing he noticed was the door, and a knowing sense came over him… something…needed to be done. Something needed to be completed. He took an object from a small ledge jutting out of the wall – something small and spherical, whilst making his way to the other side of the room. His hand grabbed the handle, and the door began to open.

"Hhhmmm? Link?" He did not notice the sleepy voice of the fairy. "Link! Don't go anywhere without me!" The presence joined him by his side, and everything just felt…right.

.........

The warrior zoran stood guard by Link's door. He was young and unused to battle – and the night-shift was beginning to play tricks with his mind. The door handle by him began to rattle and open, and the guard prepared to greet their little guest that had given them so much hope and despair. The boy stopped a few paces out of the door, and turned to look at him. His eyes were glowing a yellowy green, and the Triforce symbol on his left hand glowed the same colour. The zoran dropped his spear.

"D-demon!" He whispered, fleeing to the main sanctuary area. Link trudged towards the main area of the sanctuary – towards the pool that led to his mission. There were other zoran warriors there, and they too backed away when they saw him, startled by his appearance. He only paused once his feet were in the pool, and placing the object into his mouth, he continued without saying a word. The quiet was echoed all around him. He could not fail in his mission. His life was tied to the land, now.

His life was tied to the land.

End of Chapter 21

Full conversation (without missing words):

There was darkness… and voices. Far away.

"He needs to rest."

"What are those things on the sides of his head?"

He knew them. They knew him. He had to go to them.

"Horns."

"I know but where did they come from?"

Slowly, it was becoming more clear.

"Boleru…" Boleru! He knew a Boleru! "Told me all he knows."

"Can you explain this to me, Qui?"

"I'll try. The demons in Diagrell woods had scratched his back and left some of their own skin or something in the wound. When he was attacked by Ukellion, it spat poisons into that same wound, somehow knowing of what had taken place before. Link is now changing, Yozou! He is changing into a demon!"

"How long?"

"I do not know… it all depends upon the boy's strength."

"Is there any way to reverse it?"

"No. Like all that a demon touches, his life is tied to the land now. Only by healing the land will he heal himself." The voices left.


	22. Forget Me Not

Chapter 22

The silence that the fairy and the boy shared was overwhelming. Not once did either of them try to communicate as they swam through the darkness of Falion Sea, where sharp moonbeams created by cloud faintly penetrated the water's surface. There was no other light source. Boleru looked all about him; he could not see a single enemy and although he did not want to jump to conclusions, he guessed that the demons had exhausted most of their troops with the attack on Eirou. The fairy did not know where link was heading, but somehow he knew that Link could… '_sense_' where King Hikkaya had been taken to. All he could do now was follow, warn and most of all, _hope_.

They passed through the breach in the city wall, once more entering the deified and defiled halls of Falion City. Just as before, a deathly quiet sifted through its waters. Not once did Link stop to see where he was going, or what could be hiding in his surroundings. They came to the fork in the corridor, and this time turned left, to the doors that they had not gone through before. Here, his swimming slowed, showing his apprehension. Boleru remembered how the two zorans had reacted to that passageway when they had come to rescue Link. It did not make Boleru confident, and it helped him to realise the changes that had befallen Link. Had Link been drawn here by a demon? Did he have his own will… or was he being controlled?

Link grabbed a hold of the double doors in front of him and began to pull. They yielded slowly, disturbing the settled murk and rubble at the bottom of the doors with every inch they moved. Eventually, a gap wide enough for them to slip through had been made, and they crept inside.

The water in the main palace chamber was murkier than the rest of the Falion sea waters by far. Two collapsed pillars lay collapsed in front of him – the right one collapsing onto the left, leaving its broken parts lying on a mossy floor and blocking his view of the rest of the chamber. Dim light sifted through a semi-transparent dome, and as lights flickered on the water above, their beams disturbed the chamber with their dance. Link slowly swam up and over the pillars. And that's when he saw them.

Amidst the decaying banners and abandoned walls, two sections of long tendrils of seaweed had grown upwards. Within one section was tangled a skeleton. It was zoran. His arms had shackles on them, though the chains were broken – and perhaps always had been; the seaweed looked as if it was holding the skeleton more than anything else. The arched back of the skeleton caused the body to look towards the sky. From this position, Link could see clearly the tattered robes and their colour – cream and red.

"King Hudiael…" Boleru whispered reverently. Link turned to the other section of seaweed. Here, Hikkaya lay trapped exactly like his father, only without the shackles – and there was a strange black mist surrounding him. As Link and Boleru went over to him, King Hikkaya lay where he was - too weak and dazed to respond. Link outstretched Merrowin's lance – and touched the black cloud. It recoiled – causing the royal zoran to shudder as it left him. They watched as it fled to King Hudiael's skeleton – and swept into his chest. They waited. Nothing happened. Link went to free Hikkaya from the seaweed – but as he went to touch it, the seaweed tightened its grip. The boy and the fairy looked back to Hudiael's skeleton. The flesh had returned, and the seaweed that had held the body in place released itself as if on command.

"Link! It's another demon!" Boleru warned him. Link felt nor showed any emotion; he was still as devoid of feelings as he had been earlier. There was only the sense that he had to complete his quest. The demonic presence in the defiled zoran king's body lifted a hand towards the double doors that they had entered through. The doors swung shut with such force that part of the ceiling fell in – permanently blocking the only way in…and out.

The battle began. Though the zoran king had no weapons at hand, he did not need any – the chains around his wrists would be able to do damage – and as Link and Boleru quickly found out, the zoran king – or whatever it was that they were fighting – did not need a physical weapon. Outstretching a hand towards Link, the boy suddenly found himself propelled backwards into one of the broken pillars. The armour he wore softened him from what would have otherwise been a very hard collision. The possessed king brought his hand back to his body, and Link flew towards him – stopping only a couple of feet from his enemy. It soon became apparent who was more adept in the waters. The zoran lashed out with his hand, causing the chain on it to wrap around Link's neck. With the free chain, he used it to hit Link, and to Link's utter shock, the chain managed to hurt him a little _through_ Merrowin's armour.

Link slashed out with the lance, making the possessed king reel back from it, but at the same time dragging Link with him. The monster looked at him with utter abhorrence – a look that Boleru thought would never have passed across the king's face in life. Link lashed out again, and as the possessed king moved away once more, Link managed to free himself from the chain around his neck. The demon outstretched his arm once more, and the ceiling began to crumble.

"Link! Watch ou-" The rubble fell onto both of them and Link as Link raised the crest of Ukellion over himself, he was pushed to the floor. By chance, the rubble had fallen around him and made a small 'cave' as the rubble fell above him. Boleru flew out of the rubble on his own, immediately catching the attention of the possessed zoran king. It swam after him, giving Link the perfect chance to get out of the rubble unnoticed. He swam towards King Hikkaya, who had not moved once since the battle had begun. The heroic boy struck out at the seaweed that was holding Hikkaya in place, but nothing happened. The possessed king suddenly stopped. It turned to face Link, ignoring Boleru. With sudden speed, it hurtled itself at Link. Hands clashed together, the lance dropping out of the hero's hands. The lance's hilt landed between some of the rubble on the floor, causing the tip to remain pointing upwards at a sharp angle. The creature had not noticed it. They battled back and forth in the water, the possessed king gaining more ground than Link. Through sheer effort, Link gained a sudden amount of strength that was completely unnatural to him. He pushed the creature backwards until it was forced to let go and push itself away from Link to recover it's dominance. It very nearly pushed itself onto the lance – but by chance it stopped in the waters inches before doing so. It charged again.

Link swam at it – but at the very last second he dodged contact and somersaulted in the water, grabbing the lance as he did so. He went straight to King Hikkaya. The possessed king thought that Link was going to make another attempt to free the child king, and darted through the waters towards Link. The hero-boy turned and readied his lance straight for the demon's chest. It realised too late what Link was doing, and had no time to stop. The lance impaled in the chest of the possessed zoran king, and a terrible shriek resulted from the creature. It shook the very chamber, causing more of the ceiling to cave in. The dome overhead shattered, giving them a way of escape. The possessed king outstretched a hand towards the child zoran king trapped in the seaweed. Blue flames began to lick at the demon's body, and as the creature began to lose it's skin and return to it's original form, King Hikkaya's eyes opened in horror and remembrance of the visage before him. With the death of another demon, the waters in the Falion sea cleared slightly – as did Link's mind. He regained some of his former personality, and a greater sense of who he was and what he needed to do. Link took the weakened boy king by the hand and helped lead him through the broken dome, back towards Eirou.

All that remained in the chamber were the bones of the pure man that the demon had defiled.

..........................................................................................................................................

They emerged from the small pool, and Qui-Parra-Sen and Commander Warrior Yozou were waiting with a host of warriors and healers.

"Father…" King Hikkaya muttered weakly. "No! I can't leave father…" Qui took the king from Link… and the guards raised all of their weapons towards the hero.

"What's going on!" Boleru shouted at them. "We brought back your king – and this is how you treat us?"

"We do not know if we can trust you anymore. You are linked to the demonkin now; and those horns on your head have grown even more," Commande Warrior Yozou answered. Link put a hand up through the helmet – and realised that Yozou was right. "I'm sorry, Link, but you must leave immediately." In the background, King Hikkaya was crying out louder and louder for his father, and trying to get back to the pool that led to the Falion Sea. Link looked downhearted, and agreed to go. Yozou and a small host of warriors joined his side as they led him back to Riverdown. Qui joined his side.

"Link… what did you find in Falion City? Why is King Hikkaya calling for his father?"

"There was a demon there – a dark cloud that had covered King Hikkaya. There was also a skeleton – the skeleton of King Hudiael. When I disturbed the cloud, it went to King Hudiael's skeleton and took on his form to fight me."

"So King Hudiael truly is dead… of course, there was very little hope, but some still believed."

"The Shield of Irishati was not there." For a moment, Yozou was silent.

"After Sir Jerusinus poisoned the lands, the Shield of Irishati fell into our possession, and we kept it safe in Falion City. However, when we were attacked by demons, we did not have enough time to get to the shield and take it as well. Eventually, a zoran came along who was brave enough to try to rescue the shield. He was a mage, and set out with only bomb flowers. If the shield is gone from Falion City, then the mage succeeded in his quest. He took it to some ancient ruins, which were linked to here by a passageway in Falion Sea. I saw that passage when I was with Commander Warrior Yozou – it was blocked. Be warned Link: if you find the ancient ruins, the mage split his soul in two – a good part and a bad part, and good is easily corrupted in bad situations. Good luck in finding the shield, Link. And thank you for everything you have done for us." Link stepped into the pool that led to Riverdown and gave Yozou Ukellion's crest.

"Remember me," Link told him. "And remember that the land will be strong once more." With those words, the boy and the fairy left.

.............................................................................................................................................

Despondent, Link, Boleru and Epona trudged along through the wilds of Morëkotu. There was a shriek in the air above, and their eyes went upwards. A bird flew past the cliffs and towards the sun.

"Look Link!" Boleru shouted happily. "A kestrel! It's a kestrel! Even when Morëkotu was healthy, they were rare! It's a sign of good luck!" And so they carried on with higher hopes and lighter hearts.

End of Chapter 22


	23. Eyes in the Shadows

A/N: It has been a while since the last chapter, and it will probably be a while more before the next. Life's been busy; tough but true.

* * *

Chapter 23

The land of Morëkotu passed them by slowly. Canmidris volcano now sat quietly amongst its throne of mountains, waiting… for something. The smoke still billowed into the heavens, blocking out the light of each single star and slowly but surely, the light of the moon as well.

"Where are we heading to now?" Boleru asked Link.

"We must go back and see the Wild-men – I have a feeling they can tell us more about these ancient ruins than Yozou, Qui and the other zorans could." Boleru looked worriedly at Link's new form; although Link didn't seem to have such a reclusive personality anymore, the soot black horns on his head had begun to protrude more, and the glowing colour in Link's eyes had become more green whereas before it had held a yellow tint. Boleru expected that eventually, Link's eyes and the colour of the Triforce would eventually turn light blue and become just like the colour of the demons.

"Link… you do realise that you're changing, right?" The fairy asked him uneasily. Link uttered a positive reply. "Then… what if the Wild-men do not want to speak to you? What if they see you are changed and – and attack you instead!" Link released a sharp long sigh and shook his head.

"We'll just have to wait and see," he replied solemnly.

* * *

As they approached the Wild-men's hideout, Link could feel the presence of the watchmen, hidden in the cliffs and hills. He could not help but wonder if this feeling – this new sense of awareness – had been brought about by his… change. At times, he wished that Merrowin's armour did not change from opaque to almost transparent since it did not help to hide his change. Though he couldn't help but worry, he knew that there was not much else he could do. The entrance to the hideout came into view and he slowed Epona before dismounting. He stood before the entrance and waited to be greeted before going inside. There was a very long period where nothing happened and Link worried for a moment in case anything was wrong. Just as he was about to take another step toward the entrance, Trent appeared with another guard that Link did not know. He held a torch up that dissipated the darkness and hid the strange glow in Link's eyes.

"Link! You've come back to us!" Trent shouted with joy, happiness spread across his face. "Did you find the zorans? Are they still alive?" Link smiled at this warm greeting and felt relieved that they had not noticed his new 'differences'.

"They are still alive and although I haven't found the Shield of Irishati yet, they said that you – the Wild-men that is – may be able to help me with that."

"Of course! Anything for-" trent cut short as he noticed a strange gleam in Link's eyes. His eyebrows furrowed heavily and slowly, he took the torch away from Link's face. The boy's eyes were glowing an unnatural green. Trent hissed, dropping his torch and grabbing his sword from its scabbard. The other guard reacted more slowly but did the same. He pointed it directly at link's throat. "What are you?" Trent growled menacingly. Link remained motionless.

"No! Trent! Listen to me! This _is_ Link! I know he's been changed – the demons got to him! But he is still on our side!" Boleru cried out, dancing wildly about Link's head.

"I cannot give you any information, 'Link' – nor can I let you inside," Trent replied, the menace still in his voice and on his face.

"Can't Jorose give him permission?" Boleru pleaded. "Or Packard?"

"Packard and Jorose are not here and Chief Gorogis or any of the other gorons do not have the privilege of determining who can and cannot come in."

"…I see," Link said at last. "I will leave peacefully then." Link turned Epona around and led her away from the base entrance. As they trudged away from their closest sanctuary, Link realised that what he had on him was everything he was going to have to go into the ancient ruins with. Studying the armour, he realised that he was physically and mentally prepared. But whether he was knowledgeable enough…

The faint morning light was creeping into the land when Link finally found a grassy clearing to stop and rest Epona. They had not walked far from the Wild-men's base and were still in the mountains, but Link did not need distance for what he was about to do. He walked away from Epona and called Boleru over to him. Link took out his ocarina and began to play the Song of Winds. Somehow, Link knew that even though the song took them to random destinations, the next one would be the one they wanted. The song ended, and winds began to swirl around them.

* * *

As the swirling vortex dissipated, Link began to make out the features of the ancient ruins that he had needed to seek. As soon as he had the chance, he clutched the lance in both hands… but the stone enemies that he had expected to attack him had already been destroyed. The broken 'courtyard' had changed much since the last time they had been there – the steep moss-covered cliff walls had cracked and fallen in to create a way down to the ancient ruins – but not a way out. The mossy carpet underneath their feet had been all but hidden underneath the tumbling of walls – even the stone giants lay in pieces on the ground.

"The eruptions from Canmidris volcano must have done this," Boleru rationalised. It did not matter though – the danger that had been there before had now been removed. The entrance to the ancient ruins was now in much the same fashion – the pillars had half collapsed, along with a portion of the 'roof' they had supported. The gargoyles that had sat atop the structure now lay in smashed shards on the floor, half of the grinning face of one still recognisable. The impenetrable wall that had stood in front of them before was now marred with a large crack, although Link still couldn't see beyond it.

"Try blasting it open," Boleru suggested. Link placed a bomb flower down by the crack and stood back. The bomb went off. The explosion cased the rest of the pillars and roof section to cave in with a cackling groan. It only served to block off some of the entrance. When the smoke cleared, the crack remained the same. "Strange…" Boleru whispered to himself. Link came up with another idea. He walked closer to the entrance and took out the ocarina once more, playing the Sentinel's Song. With each note of the tune, the crack spread further and further across the door. By the end of the song, small cracks had completely covered the door and then it… vanished. As soon as the door disappeared, a gnashing, cold and callous moan blasted its way through the ruins, wailing as it went. The distant rumble became louder and louder as Link's heart beat faster and faster. He readied the lance to face a new enemy.

Wind charged from the ruins, so powerful that it knocked Link to the ground and threw Boleru against the stony wall on the other side of the courtyard. Despair washed over both of them as the wind harassed them physically and mentally. As quickly as it had attacked them, it died away. Boleru rushed over to Link.

"What was that?!" The fairy wailed in a trembling voice. Link did not know. "Link – don't go in there please! There's something else in there waiting for us! Please don't go in!" Even as Boleru pleaded with Link, the fairy knew that it was the boy's destiny to enter the ruins. Link felt physically sick – he didn't want to enter such a place just as much as Boleru. But they both knew that he had to. His heartbeat slowed, and clasping Merrowin's lance tightly, he took another step closer to the entrance – and stopped. For some reason, their eyes were drawn to the top of the cliff to their right – and they caught a glimpse of Jorose hiding in the rocks, watching them. When Jorose realised he had been seen, his expression turned from surprise to a grimace before he swiftly stole himself out of sight.

"There's something about Jorose that I don't trust… we should be weary of him, Link," Boleru advised. Link was inclined to agree. For the moment though, there was nothing he could do about him. He turned back to the entrance, and cautiously stepped inside.

* * *

Chapter 23 


	24. Those Awaiting

A/N: It's been some years since I began writing this, but I have finally included a new chapter, attempting to continue in the style I started this some two/three years ago. I hope that there's still an audience out there for this. Please enjoy.

* * *

--Chapter 24-- 

Link's footsteps echoed as they hit the cold hard stone beneath his feet. The reverberations rushed before him far into the darkness. Boleru's faint light was once more put to use, glinting on wet surfaces and catching the harsh angles of the stone. Hour by hour, Boleru could tell that Link was becoming more and more demonic and Link could notice some of the changes himself; he could see in the darkness more easily than he should have been able to. And after entering this ruined, tomb-like place, the darkness had become what Link could only describe as 'comforting'.

A soft metallic 'clink' underfoot caused Link to pause. He could feel something solid and circular under the palm of his boot. Bending down, he picked up the object. It was a medallion, glistening in a rusty gold that had probably not seen the light of sun, moon nor star for many years. As flat as a coin, it was engraved with seaweed and a whole and pristine Falion City. Link searched around and noticed a bony hand protruding from behind a large cluster of rocks. The boy followed the hand and looked behind the stones. There, a skeleton of a zoran in deteriorating blue and gold silk robes lay slumped, head to one side and a staff on the other. It must have been the zoran mage: he had therefore completed his quest. The demonic hero placed the medallion in the skeleton's free hand and bowed his head in respect as he stepped away. The place was so silent – silent even though he could hear water running down the rocks. He could even hear what he believed to be wind rushing through the caverns below him. And yet the place _was_ silent; even he and Boleru kept their breathing shallow and noiseless. Then an odd thought came to Link: the shades – no – the _entire ruin_… had been waiting in expectant silence. It had been waiting since the hour that the zoran mage had succeeded in his quest and supposedly split his soul in two. This place had been waiting anxiously for _him_.

"Link-" Boleru began.

"I know," Link interrupted. He looked upwards to the knotted cavernous ceiling, shrouded by shadows. "We are not alone."

The anticipation ended. Whatever was there knew it had not gone unnoticed. Scratching, scathing, clasping, crawling, every sound it made was suddenly deafening as it moved closer to them from above. Link could hear its breathing – he could feel the cold air coming from its mouth. He could feel the sharp claws against the rock. Only metres away. Only feet away. Centimetres away. Without warning, it changed direction, moved away. Something slammed – like a heavy door being pulled to. Neither fairy nor boy had seen what it was. Now that they knew something was in there with them, neither felt the same way about the surrounding gloom. Link could hear the tainted blood in his veins rushing through his ears. His heart was trying to escape from his chest, yet they had to continue.

Boleru flitted slightly in front of Link, but never very far from the boy's presence. The fairy could make out the shape of a tunnel ahead, where the ceiling dropped from its immense cavernous state to little more than a metre tall. Link would have to crouch a little to go through. The boy started forward, but noticed a glimmer in the cavern wall above the tunnel.

"What's that up there?" He asked Boleru. Cautiously, the fairy flew higher. It was a circular brass door, inlaid with an inner circle. The inner circle was embossed with lines criss-crossing one another in an endless flow – like the roots of a great tree. In the gap between the rock and the door, Boleru could see a large bolt. He could also tell that the door was as thick as the length of Link's thumb and there was no way to pull the door open from their side.

"Blocked – locked shut. You will have to take the tunnel," Boleru replied. Neither liked the idea of going through the narrow channel: it felt like they were going to be led into some sort of trap.

"Is there nowhere else?"

"Nope." Link tapped his foot as he considered his choices and the various possible outcomes. His alternatives were limited and very few of the outcomes were encouraging. Link was not in his own territory – he was not meeting whatever it was on his own terms. Yet to regain his humanity, to heal all of Morëkotu, he would have to accept the path given to him. Link crouched and edged his way into the tunnel, Boleru hastily following. Neither of them could find any side passages, traps or ambushes. In fact, the further into the tunnel they went, the quieter it became and the less likely it seemed that they would ever see daylight again.

The never-ending nature reminded Boleru of the time that he had spend in solitude, alone in hibernation, waiting for his surrounding darkness to disappear and be replaced by that ever-fabled 'light at the end of the tunnel'. For many years, his last link to his nightmare of a reality had been a goron boy coming to play his ocarina at the old monument on a full moon. Slowly, even that little joy had lost it's resonance over time, and Boleru had felt himself leaving the land of the conscious – possibly forever… until that different timbre had called him out like a magic spell, and the strange young boy in the unknown foreign attire had given him a strange sense – hope – once more. Yet even this recovered feeling was slowly dwindling again with every passing hour – Link was becoming more demonic; it would not be long before hero disappeared altogether and was replaced entirely by something more primal. The unnaturally blue-lit eyes were attestation for his fears.

"Link!" Link froze with the fairy's word, his hand stuck out in the darkness in front of him, only a moment away from a cavernous plunge. The air should have felt different in this larger environment – it should have felt colder and easier to breathe.

"Where are we?" As Link's eyes became more attuned, he began to make out the shape of… walls. Walls twisted and turned in every direction in front of him, as far as the unnaturally smooth cavern wall on the other side of the substantial chamber. It was a labyrinth. Around the walls, Link could make out more of the metal portals – doors to other places. All were closed and impossible to get to. The boy and fairy both knew that they had to reach the centre of the system, but knew that more than twisting corridors would be awaiting them below. He was not afraid though; now all he had to do was find a way down…

"It's a ladder, Link!"

"Huh?" Link looked at the wall from his hole, leading down to the ground. There was a metal grate, patterned like flowers, spread across the whole of the wall and in the gaps between the flowing flowers there were – all too conveniently – footholds and handholds leading almost all the way down to the floor, stopping two metres short of the ground. Something wanted them to go down into this labyrinth… and not come back out.

--End of Chapter 24--

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	25. Beholding the Enemy

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--Chapter 25--

Link considered what few options he had; there were no other tunnels down the hole that he had come through; he would have felt them. Going back would lead him nowhere, so forward was his only way to advance.

"Link, are you sure about this? Once you go down, you won't be able to climb back out!" There were holes in the ceiling, and vines trailing down to the tips of the walls in the centre of the labyrinth. If he could get that far…

Link climbed down the ladder, hesitating one last time at the final rung; once he dropped to the ground, he would have to face whatever had been watching him on its own terms. He let his fingers slowly loosen, and with a swarming dread, landed on the floor, turning and readying the lance the moment he felt the earth beneath his feet. He had been expecting a reaction. There was none. Boleru drifted down to join Link, staring ahead at the entrance to the forebodingly ashen labyrinth. The walls surrounding them now provided only one option – the passageway. Everything within looked quiet – dead. The edge of the labyrinth fell down at a steep angle; like the ladder, it was obviously meant to direct any trespassers one way and one way only. But _where_ did that one way _lead_?

"I have a very bad feeling about this, Link – a really, _really_ bad feeling about this." Link's heart echoed Boleru's warning. The hero tested the ground in front of him with Merrowin's lance, checking for traps.

"Boleru, could you go forward and have a look inside, please?" Link asked the fairy cautiously, knowing already the answer he would get.

"Link, I'm scared! Don't make me go in there alone!"

"Only to that wall there and back," Link pointed to the dead end not more than ten metres ahead. "Please – it's easier for you to go in and back than it is for me." Boleru dawdled but grudgingly went on inside. Once again, the faint light that Link's fairy companion emitted revealed a detail about the surroundings that Link would otherwise have missed – from what he could see of the labyrinth, the 'ceiling' was finely latticed with what looked like glass.

"There's a spiky thing in this wall here, Link. But other than that, I can't see any trouble… it looks like an ordinary – if creepy – maze to me." As Boleru spoke Link watched a shadow flick overhead, moving fiercely towards him. Link readied his sword, watching the thing approach. Closer, closer – just like before…

Painful spasms wracked Link's spine. Consciousness focussed and awareness gave Link the sickening feeling that he was being thrown forward. He fell on his side and slid the rest of the way down the slope before falling and landing on a solid floor two metres further down.

"Link! Link! Are you okay?" Boleru flitted to his side while Link dusted himself off and picked up the lance. Shock startled him when he saw the spiked, curved wall that he had almost fallen onto that had previously been undetectable from his last vantage point. It would have hurt him had he landed on it – and Link knew that it would give them trouble yet.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Boleru…." Link stepped back and looked up at the grating and the labyrinth entrance. "…There are at least two of them; I was pushed from behind."

The sound of a lever or switch being activated clacked in the distance. The wall of spikes clicked and moved up and down, back and forth disconcertingly. Link knew from his previous adventures what this small action foreshadowed.

"Boleru, come away from the wall – it's time to go!" Link ran into the split passageway. To his right was another dead end and clicking spiked wall. Left was his only option. "Boleru, _now_!" The fairy raced towards his commanding words, barely avoiding the spikes as they came away from the wall and began rotating in his direction.

"Link! I don't like this, Link!" The spiked wall stopped abruptly before the end of the corridor, but the other mechanism had already begun rumbling loudly down the slope at them. Link noticed it was moving faster than he could run, but it did not stop him from trying to outpace it.

"Fly ahead of me, Boleru – scout out the best route!"

"Right!" The little green light sped on and vanished around a corner. "This way!" Link followed the voice, the spike-trap following the curve of the corridor and still closing on the boy-hero. Boleru flew up and down in the corridor ahead of him. "Keep going straight, Link – the side passages all seem trapped!" There was a ditch in the floor up ahead. The spikes were brushing against his back. Link had little choice – set off a side-trap, jump, or be squashed to death.

Link jumped.

Eyes gazed back from the bleakness below Link as he kicked off of the labyrinth wall. The spiked-roller collapsed into the pit, blocking up the hole and preventing any possibility of going back the way that they had come. Something was still under there, directing his movements, setting off the traps. Where was the other? Or were there more than two?

"Link, is it just me, or… are the walls moving?" Link removed his gaze from the ditch and looked at his surroundings. The tablet-like sections of the walls did seem to be wobbling. An inner voice grabbed his attention and he noticed how wide the corridor was.

"Oh, no…" Link groaned.

"What?" Before the fairy had finished his word, Link started running again. The front half of the walls began to collapse in on them. The force of the toppling structures left a wind that was felt on their backs and the sound shook their hearts with fear. If they stopped moving for a moment, they would be squashed. Even the passageway in front began to shake – Link wondered if he would survive; there was nowhere else to go but to follow the maze around. Boleru darted ahead like before.

He could hear _them_, following him still. He could hear their breath; he could hear the rhythm of their limbs, pounding against the grating. He could hear their hearts, pumping to the same ferocious beat as his. The falling walls, the thumping feet, the continuous drive to be elsewhere – there was nothing but the rhythm and it compelled him onwards.

"Link! We're almost at the middle! Take the next left, then right, then follow the path around!" Boleru went down the route that he had instructed, the walls already poised to fall in this side-route. Link could see another hole in the floor. He did the same as before – jumping and kicking against the wall. He barely avoided the hand that shot out to grab him and as he rolled he felt the tumbling wall barely centimetres from his head. _Run_ – he had to _run_! He had to get back into the pace! "Look, Link! There's the centre!" Link's eyes were too blinded with sweat for him to see properly, but he could see Boleru's light right in front of him. "Hurry! Only a few more walls to pass." With the promise of an end to the danger, Link's legs began to fail him – conscious effort was all that kept him alive as he ran to the centre of the new chamber.

The falling walls stopped. The pursuers were gone. The strange change in atmosphere gave Link time to catch his breath. Boleru said nothing, but flitted around the area, observing one dark stone structure upon another, tablets engraved with indecipherable writing and images in the walls and broken statues strewn about the ground. Faint, grey light from somewhere far above spilled down from the hole in the ceiling, illuminating only this area.

"Oh, Link!" The male fairy gasped despondently. "We're in a _mausoleum_!"

Link did not have time to look up. He saw the eyes watching him from the grate he had not realised he was standing on. He saw long, bony fingers reach up from the small holes. The grate shattered behind him – something grabbed his ankles and pulled him down. The 'mausoleum' became a distancing light in the greater darkness. He could see Boleru, staring down at him helplessly from above. His fall suddenly decelerated, until something sinewy snapped. Link fell again – the process repeating itself until he reached out and took hold of what felt like a thick cord. Link smacked into a wall and slid down the twine until his feet found a strong and stable surface. The boy hero dedicated another moment to catching his breath, wiping the sweat away from his eyes. His demonic eyes adjusted well in the complete darkness; he could make out every curve and angle with sharp clarity. He was at the bottom of some kind of pit – bones were heaped in piles near the walls. Some skeletons were obviously human, others looked animal.

"Liiiiiink!" Boleru was distressed – he did not want to be left alone, but he could not tell if the boy was still alive.

"I'm down here – I'm fine!" The above labyrinth was obscured from view by vines growing up the walls and across the empty space. He had not expected any plant life to be growing here, yet the environment was surprisingly hot and moist. A cold breeze blew on Link's neck and he turned to see a roughly carved staircase, leading to an unknown destination. Link walked over. The vines shot across the orifice. Some sense in Link took over and he dropped to the ground an instant before the clawed hands from earlier swiped at where his head would have been. Link rapidly rolled out of the way and got to his feet. Finally, he had the chance to get a good look at his stalkers. His enemy stood in front of him, teeth bared and snarling. Strong muscle covered a large, upright frame. Clawed hands and feet clicked with expectation and a sturdy tail flicked from side to side. Scales covered the hairless body, but what looked like moss and water seemed to coat sections of the creature's charcoal limbs, back and tail, giving places a slight iridescent tone. Another noise from behind signalled the presence of another – a 'twin' that was more lightly coloured than the one that had first attacked.

Link readied the lance. So these were the two halves of the zoran mage's soul. The Shield or Irishati was close.

--End of Chapter 25--

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	26. Tied to the Land

--Chapter 26--

The two reptilian creatures circled Link from opposite sides, preparing to attack. Unlike previous enemies, they took no moment to evaluate his movements: they must have analysed him back in the tunnels above. He readied the lance at the darker one, who so far had been the more aggressive of the two. Boleru was flitting somewhere above; the fairy's light becoming a hindrance to his night-vision.

"Keep away! I can see better in the dark!" Boleru settled on a rocky outcrop, obediently awaiting the end of the skirmish.

The lighter creature moved back from Link and settled into a meditative position on a rocky 'seat' two metres from the ground. The dark one ran forward, claws outstretched as if preparing to give Link a macabre embrace. He would be given no chance though; Link was ready with the lance. The dark one jumped at him, seconds away from being impaled on the hero's weapon when something wound around Link's legs and pulled him to the ground. Lights flashed in front of his eyes at the same point that sharp barbs raked along his armour, damaging the surface but missing his skin. He wrestled onto his back and struck out at the reptilian soul-part, forcing it to move out of his range. The plants along the walls had tangled with Link's legs and he set about pulling himself free before they overwhelmed him.

"Link!" Boleru called. "The whitish one is meditating and controlling the vines!"

"Where did the flashes come from?" As the words left his mouth, he noticed the tiny little seeds lining the undersides of the vines. So, that was how they did it! A grunt from the meditative enemy signalled the end of his control over the plants: they fell limp to the floor and Link took this second's opportunity to seize some of the seeds for himself.

The ash-coloured foe started circling him whilst his brother went into meditation in the same outcropping spot. The creepers began to move again, taking on a life more vicious than last they owned. His opponent circled around to his back, easily out-pacing Link in his armour and kicking him to the floor. The vines wrapped around his body and began to squeeze down, edging into the spaces between his protective plates.

Boleru watched as his partner wriggled in the vines, managing to land and stay on his side on the ground. He was beginning to choke, but somehow he managed to raise his fist as the whiter soul-part brought its claws closer to Link's face. For some reason, it hesitated. Link threw the seeds into its face, causing bright light to flash throughout the room. It screamed, jumping up and hiding in the mess of vines above while it regained its sight. The vines were beginning to loosen – the other foe had reached its limit controlling the vines. The boy fought against the climbers, snapping them with the tension until he dragged himself over to the still-meditating, demonic soul. The thing began to open its sleepy eyes. Link thrust the lance at its heart, missing his target as the creature dodged sideways. The weapon scraped along the scaled skin, piercing through the ribs instead. It would not be a dire wound, but it would be enough to slow it down for now.

The vines rustled above, dropping some of the flash-seeds in front of the young warrior. Link's attention was distracted long enough for the darker one to barrel into him, forcing Link to the ground. The lance spun out of his hand, clacking along the floor until finally coming to a halt against the wall. As expected, the other adversary dropped into the meditation spot and the vines began to twitch. They wrapped around his arms and legs, until he was being pulled in four different directions. Lizard-like hands wriggled underneath the armour, lifting and tearing it away in quick succession. His heart was exposed: there was nothing he could do to prevent the next, fatal attack.

"No!" Boleru cried, flitting forwards and circling like a hurricane around the vision of Link's attacker. The charcoal soul-part roared and flailed, attempting to rid himself of the disturbance to his night-vision whilst Link felt his bondage loosen and weaken. He used the opportunity to attain his weapon: his armour was useless now – attack was his only chance for survival. Boleru's light distanced: the fairy had returned to his hading place, leaving Link to fight alone.

The creature once more locked eyes with the boy-hero, preparing for yet another attack. It blinked repeatedly, stumbling towards him – it had obviously not readjusted to the darkness again. Link threw the last of his flash-seeds at its face. He jabbed at its leg, stabbing through the bone and causing enough damage so that it could not run away. The beast clawed out at him but he eluded it, drawing out the lance and pushing the tip through its left shoulder. It turned to its sibling, desperate to escape and link managed to slice across its back, sending scales and the moss on its back flying about the room. Both monsters disappeared above into the vines, using their coverage to hide. Link returned to the centre of the room and waited: it would only be a matter of time before they tried to attack him again. He picked at the fallen creepers at his feet, finding the last of the unspent seeds for his future advantage. Without his ghost-like armour, he needed to end the battle immediately… or he might not survive. He could feel them moving up there – he could sense every footfall they made with his new demonic skills. Just like when they had first attacked him, they had moved to either side of him and were starting to close in. This was it: the deciding moment.

Charcoal and ash dropped onto the ground and charged – the former making an inhuman effort to keep moving despite its damaged leg. Claws clattered and rose. Eyes burned with hunger and hatred – he could almost feel their breath upon his skin. With all of his remaining strength Link threw the flash-seeds at his feet, illuminating the room like a thunderbolt. Even when he reopened his eyes, spots still danced in front of him. The looked back to where he had rolled from in the centre of the room. He could see the outline of his two enemies, standing in front of each other. He could see that the darker one had its hand raised to the lighter one's neck. He could hear the gentle dripping sound of the ashen creature's life-blood falling away, while its arm was poised to strike but had hesitated for too long a moment.

The light-half collapsed to the ground, its body fading out of existence until all that was left was a single glowing star. The remaining enemy stumbled backward and swooned, before it too finally dropped to the floor and released its dying gasp. One half could not survive without the other. The second enemy faded away also, leaving behind nothing but a small black void the same size as the star. The two met each other, whizzing and whirling up and down until they finally combined and formed their original whole. Link crept nearer to the new presence, watching awestruck as the two halves expanded and created a recognisable shape, complete with flowing blue and gold robes that were a transparent imitation of what they would have looked like when the wearer was alive. The zoran mage looked down at him, hands out-stretched in appeasement, the perfect expression of serenity upon the apparition's face. Before Link could say another word, the ghost was gone… and a large chest made of driftwood stood in his place. Boleru flew down and settled onto Link's shoulder.

"This is what we've been waiting for, Link! Open it!" Link listened for the sound of any further movement… but it sounded as if they were safe. His fingers were tentative as he loosened his grip on Merrowin's lance, unsure how soon he would need to take it up again. He knelt at the chest, lifting the latches and throwing back the lid. Boleru flew upwards and peeked inside. His little gasp gave the boy-hero enough courage to look inside himself.

His curiosity gave way to fear and he placed his hands around the strange metal shape, releasing it from its prison for the first time in nearly a decade. His thumb rubbed at the rusted, buckled triangle, coppery marks coming off onto his skin. It was dented beyond repair – beyond use – but there was no mistaking the distorted etchings that formed the crest of Morëkotu: the kestrel and the moon, marred with the blood of the demon Kealathen and the hero, Rathor. His fingers travelled to the marks, but thought better of touching it when he remembered it was cursed as well as blessed.

"The Shield of Irishati reflects the state of the land of Morëkotu…" Boleru whispered with reverence. The land was indeed tainted and useless: this scrap-metal he was holding was its perfect reflection. There was no doubt about it – they were holding the Shield of Irishati.

The creepers that had covered the staircase gave way, revealing Packard standing on the other side of the passageway.

"Link! Boleru! How are you? Are you alright?!"

"We're fine, Packard!" The demonic-hero grinned, too elated to consider where the wild-man had come from or whether Jorose was with him. "And look – we've found the Shield of Irishati." The wild-man sprinted over, apprehension clear upon his face. He stopped behind Link, placing his palm upon the boy's shoulder. No words were exchanged while they elated in the finding of the ineffectual legendary artefact. Link stared into the eyes of the Morëkotu kestrel. Somehow, the shield held the key to restoring the land _and_ Link back to their former states. He _would_ find the way.

"So you have, boy; so you have…" Packard's hand lifted from his shoulder.

Link turned in time to see Packard's hammer coming at him from the corner of his sight.

--End of Chapter 26--

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